


Koi No Yokan

by GhostOfTasslehoff, ZombieJesus



Category: Death Note & Related Fandoms, Death Note (Anime & Manga)
Genre: A wild one-night stand turns into something more, Anal Sex, Angst and Feels, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Banter, Being honest is hard, Cake is a sex toy, Consensual Kink, Delicious desserts, Developing Relationship, Dirty Talk, Dom/sub Play, Drama & Romance, Edgeplay, Emotional Roller Coaster, Emotional Sex, Erotic Electrostimulation, First Time, Flirting, Gags, Hidden Depths, Humor, Intricate Plot, Kinbaku, Kissing, L is Wedy and Aiber’s honorary younger brother, Lies, Light Bondage, M/M, Masturbation, Mind Games, Mirror Sex, Misunderstandings, Oh shit moments, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Poisoning, Porn With Plot, Power Play, Role Reversal, Romantic Fluff, Rough Oral Sex, Sci-Fi Elements, Secret Relationship, Secrets, Secrets of the shinigami, Self Voyeurism, Sex Toys, Sexting, Sexual Tension, Shower Sex, Snark, Suspicions, Teasing, Voyeurism, What if L and Light accidentally met on Tinder?, What is justice?, a wild Ryuk appears, fancy dates, flashbacks to wammy's house, grey morality, hacker humor, inappropriate use of balconies, indulging anyway, lawlight, light is kira, lore and legends, mental trauma, mistakes and apologies, prison break - Freeform, pun battles, seeing behind masks, sharing is caring, shinigami snark, take a chip and eat it, wanting things we shouldn't have, with all the sarcastic teasing that entails, you can't escape the past
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-04
Updated: 2019-10-19
Packaged: 2019-10-21 22:56:01
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 51
Words: 387,202
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17651402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GhostOfTasslehoff/pseuds/GhostOfTasslehoff, https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZombieJesus/pseuds/ZombieJesus
Summary: Koi no yokan 恋の予感: the feeling upon first meeting someone that you will inevitably fall in love with them.~Light decides to take a little risk and seek a no-strings-attached hookup, and gets a surprising (accidental) match. Light and L gradually open up to each other over the course of a night, not knowing who the other is. However, as they go back to their lives in the morning, suspicions take hold and secrets come to light. The chance meeting starts to feel a lot more like fate as L closes in on Kira, and both must decide whether they felt anything real for the other and what that means.





	1. Push and Pull

**Author's Note:**

> This is an AU where Misa found Light earlier in the story, before Light was officially a suspect in the case, and this meeting takes place the weekend before Light takes the To-Oh exam. The surveillance of the police families hasn't occurred *yet.*

L normally wouldn’t have done anything like this, especially while on a case… but he’d been here far longer than planned already. As he sat in the empty hotel room serving as a temporary headquarters, he couldn’t help but be grateful that the other members of the task force were currently elsewhere. He looked down at the profile he had crafted, chewing on his thumbnail. _That’s enough detail, right?_ One profile picture that didn’t show him eating or otherwise giving some idiot a death glare, check. It had been difficult to figure out how much information to provide, but in the end, he decided less was more. No need to look desperate. _Should I take out that line about trying anything once, though?_ After some careful deliberation, it stayed in.

 

**_Ryuzaki, 24_ **

_Loves: Cake, solving puzzles, concerts, new experiences. If you are up to try anything once like me, we’ll make a good match. Dislikes: stupidity. Not liking cake is a deal breaker. Self-employed. My work is very important to me, but I am willing to make time for anything._

 

Perfect. He had already paid for the premium membership; now to see what kind of matches he made. A pretty young woman showed up on his screen, and after a brief second, he swiped left. _Maybe I should add my Instagram account._

 

**\----Across town at a cafe in Shinjuku---**

 

Light had been avoiding Misa’s texts and calls all day, quickly batting them away when they popped up on his phone. _Can’t she leave me alone for a single day? I told her I had to study for my entrance exams._ That was a lie of course, he didn’t need to study. He’d leafed through the material for the To-Oh exam, sure, but this was kid’s stuff that he’d mastered years ago. So instead, he’d wandered to a cafe down the street just to have a little peace and quiet-- and perhaps to furtively glance at the profiles of eligible young men in the area that might be up for something a little wild. _Wouldn’t everyone be shocked that Light Yagami had a Tinder profile?_

 

He’d brought his test notes along too for ‘cover,’ and gave the barista a charming smile when she handed him his double espresso. Clinking some yen into the tip cup, he wandered to the back and slid into a booth, careful to keep his phone from the prying eyes of any of the other patrons. _Boring._ He swiped left. _Boring, stupid, weird, not my type, girl, girl, boring._ He’d swiped left on most of the people in the surrounding area, heaving a sigh of disappointment. _Well, what did I expect?_

 

Bringing his drink to his lips, he sputtered slightly at the scalding heat, grimacing as it burned. It was only then that he saw that he’d swiped right by accident on a profile he hadn’t even been paying attention to. Light looked down at his phone, face heating as he read over the profile of the man he’d inadvertently matched with. The man’s pictures were confusing but intriguing-- there were far more pictures of food than of the person, and all the headshots were occluded in some way. Blurred or hiding, the person’s face and body weren’t exactly clear other than he seemed to have black hair and be relatively thin and young. But there was nothing to truly hint at their appearance, and given Light’s generous and copious profile pictures (showing him in his best angles of course) that was rather annoying.

 

He blew on his coffee to cool it, figuring there wasn’t much harm in leaving the match. The mystery man was somewhere in Tokyo but not much more was stated. _Up to try anything once? Dislikes stupidity? Ah, we’ve already got something in common._

 

**\-----**

 

L had been fuming down at his phone for the last twenty minutes as he worked, disgruntled by the lack of Tinder matches. Even if he only got the attention of women with his food blog, it would have been worth it for even _one_ match, but clearly the people who were on this app were more interested in appearances than in an interesting personality. _Not that I’m overly different in that regard_ , he thought to himself, glancing guiltily back at his laptop and then around the room to make sure none of the other task force members were in the room. As he was currently alone, he felt justified in picking his phone back up to go back to editing his profile. _Really, do these idiots not understand that leaving clear photos like they have is the easiest way for Kira to get their names?_ Not that Kira would actually use Tinder to troll for information in the first place, because L couldn’t think of any reason for criminals to use the app for illegal undertakings, and if they _did_ … well, they were the type of petty criminal Kira wouldn’t take notice of, _anyway_.

 

Regardless, he typed in a few additions to the ‘loves’ list he had provided ( _open to exploring kink, particularly the following: asphyxiation, hate sex, roleplay… more provided on request_ ), only to get a notification that, wonder of wonders, he had received a match.

 

“Really?” he murmured, eyes widening in surprise, and tapped on the profile. Almost immediately, his mouth dropped open, and he brought his phone close to his face as he hurriedly swiped through the pictures. _How in the hell did THIS guy manage to show interest in me? He’s… Wow. Maybe I was wrong._ Without stopping to think if it would be a good idea or not, L sent him a message:

 

**“Hi. 😊 I see we matched.”**

 

**\----**

 

Light’s profile was tasteful and coy, using a false name of course and just a first name. _Asahi._ The pictures, however, were more than a little revealing, just because he couldn’t help but show off when he got the chance. A pants button popped, with a hand ambiguously hovering over it. A picture Misa had taken of him looking over his shoulder, shirtless at the beach. Various pictures of him in his tennis garb or selfies when working out, all looking very candid despite being posed. He’d been careful to pick the best ones but none too shocking, just in case his devious little sister decided to be a busybody.

 

He never would have had enough nerve to list his ‘preferences’ he was using his _real_ name, but being 18 had its perks, such as the delusion of untouchability and being able to get away with anything. Light usually did anyway, and whatever he didn’t he could easily talk or charm his way out of.

 

**_Asahi, 18_ **

_Student by day, looking for something other than studying at night. According to those around me I’m a “hard-working conscientious student,’ but the joke’s on them. Will you laugh will me? Perpetual dreamer, and I dream big. If you can’t change the world, don’t even bother to swipe right. I’m bored and looking for someone to break it. Probably not you, so don’t get your hopes up. Preference for top, but might be convinced otherwise. Interests include dom/sub roleplay, bondage, and perhaps a few other things that I’d discuss if I felt inclined. Don’t let the sweet face fool you._

 

Sure, he sounded like a narcissistic brat. But given he was just looking for a damn good lay without much of the other stuff that came with dating---mushiness, cuddling, or any other such nonsense-- he thought it would do. Light Yagami did _not_ need to form attachments, not that he thought it was a remote possibility. But still, it was better to play the aloof and perfect doll that everyone around him saw him as. Better that than hint that anything deeper lie under the surface. Something dark that also wanted to change the world. Something like _Kira_.

 

His coffee had cooled and he took a sip, an eyebrow raising as a message popped up on his screen from the mystery match. _Well, that didn’t take long._ The initial message looked like something Sayu would send him when she was bored.

 

He sent back, **“Obviously. Please refrain from using emoticons. Thanks.”**

 

**\---**

 

In the time it had taken L to read through the young man’s profile - _Cocky little fucker, isn’t he?_ he thought wryly to himself, snorting in derision at some of the narcissistic talk, though his eyes _did_ widen at the… _preferences_ this ‘Asahi’ listed - he had already received a message back. Glancing around as he heard voices approaching the door, L shut his phone and slipped it into his pocket, gripping the arms of the chair and hopping down.

 

He met the officers at the door and greeted them politely before saying in his usual modulated tone, “Feel free to make yourselves at home. I will return shortly, I have some business to take care of.” _Yes, ‘business’,_ he thought wryly to himself as he slipped out the door around them, leaving them murmuring in confusion. For a moment, L paused and glanced back with a faint frown at Chief Yagami… or rather, Chief Asahi. _Interesting that this young man has a connection to Yagami through his fake name. Am I just reading too much into this, or could I have accidentally stumbled on something?_ It was no matter - he needed to find somewhere private to message this… _Asahi_. And perhaps to set up a meeting if their chat went well. _Watari isn’t in his hotel suite right now… At least, he shouldn’t be back for another thirty minutes._ That would do.

 

Reversing direction, L hurried into Watari’s suite, taking care to check to see that the man truly _hadn’t_ returned before locking himself in the bathroom. He sat down on the toilet seat, tugging his knees close to his chest as he pulled out his phone and opened it again. The reply took him aback at first, and his first instinct was to tell the kid to fuck off. But he shook his head at that, chuckling wryly to himself as he silently admitted he had only used the stupid emoticon to seem more ‘normal’ in the first place.

 

**“Of course. I dislike using them as well. It seems we have some similar interests… And I admit to being intrigued by your profile. Care to meet?”**

 

 _Please say yes_ , he found himself thinking, mouth going dry and clutching his phone tightly as he waited for a response, his thoughts flashing back to those… _enticing_ photos on the profile.

 

**\---**

 

It was several minutes before ‘Ryuzaki’ replied, and Light felt the slightest prickle that maybe he’d come off too harshly. Text never really did translate as well as speech, soaking up none of the inflection or charm he could use there. It was uncomfortable for him to be intrigued though-- partially due to the lack of pictures, he was curious what this person had to hide. _Well, we wouldn’t be on this website if we weren’t looking for the same thing._

 

A reply did come, and Light set his coffee down at the mention of ‘similar interests’ as those listed in his profile. _Hmm, really._ Ryuzaki jumped right to the point too, suggesting they meet, and Light admitted he liked it when people just said what they wanted rather than beating around the bush and playing at niceties. He smiled vaguely to himself, already constructing a fantastical backstory for this person that of course was in no way real, but was fun nonetheless.

 

He texted back, **“Sure, although I hope you won’t suggest some mundane smokey bar or a seedy hotel. Show me your creativity ;)”** Light purposefully used an emoji, chuckling to himself that that would either get a laugh or a block, and if the person on the other end couldn’t take a joke, then...well, maybe a block was better all things considered.

 

**\---**

 

“Oh sure, you tell _me_ not to use emoticons and then turn around and do the same thing,” L muttered to himself with a giggle, rolling his eyes. “Hypocrite.” He started to type a message back, only to pause. _Should I really be doing this? It’s not like it REALLY has anything to do with the Kira case._ The niggling little suspicion at the back of his mind urged him on, though, and he finally smiled to himself and hunched over his knees to send the reply.

 

**“Well, as I don’t tend to jump right into bed upon first meeting someone, not even someone as attractive as you, I was more interested in getting to know you better. It may not be particularly creative, but I could always meet you somewhere for coffee later, if you’d prefer a public meeting. And don’t mind my sweet tooth. Barring that… I’m not averse to doing something a little more athletic. And I’m not referring to between the sheets… yet.”**

 

For a moment, L hesitated, rereading what he’d written a few times before deciding it was _just_ forward enough. Heart hammering in his chest, he sent it.

 

**\----**

 

Light smiled behind his coffee at the mention of ‘even someone as attractive as you are.’ He knew he was a sucker for praise, felt it to be a fault he’d just accepted long ago. Not that he didn’t hear it enough, but no, he never got tired of it. The smile only grew as Ryuzaki seemed to protest a little too much that he wasn’t on Tinder for the obvious reason of hooking up. _Well, we’ll see what you tend to do when we actually meet._

 

He typed back, **“Why not come meet me now if you want coffee and something...sweet. I’m at Gombei in Shinjuku, I hear they have exquisite cakes although I’ve never tried them. Perhaps you could convince me.”**

 

His eyes flicked to the glassed-in cabinet near the counter, filled with an array of kawaii-looking pastries, donuts, cake-pops. Light didn’t have a huge sweet tooth himself, but he had to admit they looked enticing even to him. The cafe wasn’t very crowded at this time of day, most people were heading home from work and wouldn’t spoil their dinner with treats. So, while it would technically still be in public, they could still have a relatively private conversation, particularly if they went to the back booth in the corner.

 

He wondered to himself if he’d actually have enough nerve to go through with all of this. Sure, his profile and probably his demeanor portrayed someone experienced and confident, but he’d joined Tinder to hopefully get this whole virginity thing out of the way before he entered college soon. The fantasies and curiosity had been distracting at late, and better for that to happen now while he only had to use a handful of neurons to breeze through class. There was the possibility college might pose some kind of challenge, however remote.

 

**\---**

 

 _Now? He can’t be serious,_ L thought to himself, his breath hitching at the invitation. That had been… quicker than he was expecting, honestly. What was he supposed to tell the task force, that he’d received a lead that he needed to pursue immediately? L laughed at that ridiculous thought, and then quieted, eyes wide as he reconsidered that notion. _Actually, they wouldn’t even question it. Probably._ He chewed on his thumbnail as he read the message again.

 

“‘Perhaps you could convince me,’ was it?” L said softly to himself, a shiver going through him. He could imagine the young man in those pictures saying that to him with one of those easy, cocky grins on his face. _I wonder what your voice sounds like, ‘Asahi’. That can’t be his real name. Someone who looks like him and has that high of an opinion of himself has got to be hiding something, and considering he’s propositioning another man on Tinder… no. No way is that his real name._ It took a moment for him to even his breathing out to a normal cadence, and finally, L sent a quick response.

 

**“I’m currently in the middle of a… project. Let me finish up the section I’m working on, and if you’re still interested, I can meet you in an hour.”**

 

Now to make sure he was able to leave before Watari returned. He had never been very good at lying to the man. He stepped off the toilet and splashed some cold water on his face, hoping it wasn’t too obvious that he’d been dealing with some… _wicked_ thoughts, and sighed as he exited Watari’s suite.

 

**\---**

 

Light huffed softly that he’d have to wait a whole hour before seeing whether this was even worth his time at all, but the way Ryuzaki phrased whatever he was doing piqued his interest enough to agree to it. He typed back, **“An hour? Well...I suppose. But cake’s on you then.”** He giggled softly because that sounded just dirty enough to perhaps hurry Ryuzaki up. **“I can only pretend to study for so long before I get bored, so come quick.”** _Ah, what’s wrong with me today? I’m not usually spewing double entendres and entertaining thoughts about..._ He looked over at the cakes again, shaking his head free of those thoughts.

 

The double espresso was making him slightly jittery, so maybe that was it. _Yes, must be the caffeine. That’s all._ But a quick breeze through Ryuzaki’s profile again belied that-- his heart was beating faster from something, but the coffee wasn’t to blame. Reluctantly, he pulled out his notes for the entrance exam again, trying to look busy so no one would bother him for the next little while. Given he didn’t even know what Ryuzaki even looked like, Light supposed he’d just have to wait until someone came over and introduced themselves.

 

**\---**

 

The feeling of his phone buzzing in his pocket was enough to bring a flush to L’s cheeks, causing him to stutter slightly as he spoke to the task force. Glancing down, L had to force himself not to think of what Asahi might have sent him, instead forcing himself to think of anything else.

 

“I t-trust you can all handle yourselves from here?” L asked, narrowing his eyes at each man in turn. The youngest - Matsuda - _still_ seemed intimidated by him, but the rest just nodded with varying degrees of politeness before turning away to start on the tasks he had assigned them. “Thank you all. Depending on how successful this lead turns out to be, there is a small chance I won’t be back until later. If you need me, please direct any inquiries to Watari. Anything he cannot assist you with, he will forward to me immediately.”

 

His little speech seemed to garner only the minimum of attention, which honestly suited him fine. L slipped into the main foyer and eased open the door to the closet, grabbing the worn green cargo jacket he used for colder weather. _I cannot believe I’m doing this. It’s not like me to be this swayed by a pretty face._ Thankfully, he didn’t run into Watari on his way down to the main floor, though that _did_ beg the question (for later) of what had held him up. No matter. He would find out when he returned. His escape made, L made his way to the bus shelter, studying the route map on his phone before finally checking his messages.

 

 _‘Come quick’?_ L sighed, trying not to react to the double entendres. It sounded like something one would say trying to tease their partner. He’d observed that kind of talk between couples many times, just in casual observation on the street, or in media, and he had always found it to be overdone and corny… but now, he could see why it might appeal to people. No-one had ever said something like that to him before. Maybe it _was_ a bit of a turn on. He was going to need to keep himself in check if he wanted to get any sort of respect from this guy. He quickly typed out a short message, laughing to himself. **“I’m on my way. If you have your eye on anything in particular, might as well treat yourself. It’s on me tonight.”**

 

**\---**

 

Light set his notes aside when he saw Ryuzaki was on his way, glancing at his watch. _Maybe I can figure out later his approximate location by how long it takes him to get here._ Actually, he thought it might be an interesting puzzle to try and solve while he waited, turning his notes over and sketching out a rough map of the districts of Tokyo and then concentric circles around the location of Gombei. It was rush hour, so he’d have to factor that in, but as a student with no car, he was intimately aware of how long public transportation took as well.

 

His little map done, he stood up and wandered over to the glass case, crossing his arms as he looked at the desserts. Heavy cakes and rich syrupy things were too cloying for him, he really only favored lighter desserts like maybe strawberry mousse. The one exception to that was chocolate, he definitely had a liking for that. But his mother focused more on traditional Japanese dishes so he rarely got anything chocolate unless he bought it himself.

 

Ryuzaki had said to go ahead and get something, but wouldn’t it be rude to do that? Leave him hanging with the tab as soon as he walked through the door? _And what am I supposed to tell the waitress: oh please charge this to the random stranger I met on a hookup app, no I have no clue what he looks like, sorry._ The internal dialogue made him laugh as he just walked back to his table to collect his notes and book bag, moving to the booth in the farthest corner of the cafe. He sat down facing the door, looking at his sketched map as he waited. _15 minutes gone, guess he’s further that this..._ He made hashmarks through the areas that were now out of contention, sliding it back under his notes as calculus tried and failed to draw his attention from more primal thoughts.

 

**\---**

 

L had never been more impatient to be somewhere in his life. He was too keyed up to sit, and quite honestly, he knew that if he tried, he’d probably get kicked off the bus. The lack of response really didn’t do much to calm his jitters either, and as he checked his phone again ( _that’s the third time in as many minutes, damn_ ), he noted that it had been 37 minutes since he had first boarded the bus. Why hadn’t he factored in rush hour traffic? This was torture. _Maybe I was correct in my estimation of an hour,_ he thought to himself as he clutched the overhead rail tightly, bus lurching to a stop again. Digging out his phone, L awkwardly tugged it open, typing out a message with his thumb. _God damn it._

 

 **“Taking longer than anticipated. With any luck, I’ll be there shortly, but it seems that rush hour is conspiring to keep me stuck on this bus. I do hope you’re keeping yourself entertained in the meantime. Your profile says you’re a student?”** Might as well try to get a conversation going, considering he was making this guy wait.

 

**\----**

 

Light drummed his fingers on the table as he pretended to study, looking up abruptly when his phone buzzed. He flipped it open, reading Ryuzaki’s message and taking mental notes. _Stuck in traffic and he’s taking the bus. Which means he started out within walking distance from a bus station._ He glanced at his watch, seeing that 39 minutes had passed, and quickly elaborated on his makeshift map to exclude areas without stations and routes that didn’t run through busy roads. The potential areas had narrowed quite a bit, but this was a large complicated city with a crisscross of potential paths to this cafe.

 

Texting back, **“I’m making do. Playing a little game to keep myself occupied, to see if I can deduce where you’re coming from. Maybe you’ll give me a prize if I guess correctly?”** His stomach grumbled quietly, reminding himself that he’d barely eaten anything all day. That decadently layered chocolate mousse up front was looking more and more tempting. **“Yes, I’m a student. Close to finishing high school. College entrance exams are in a week so…”**

 

His hunger also reminded him that his parents would be wondering where he was if he missed dinner. He switched to his regular messages and typed, **“Go ahead and eat without me, Mom. I’ll grab something here and I’ve got so much left to do.”** _Heh._

 

Sachiko texted back, **“Oh Light, you’re such a hard worker. Can’t you take a break? I’m making your favorite. Okonomiyaki!”**

 

Light softly swore under his breath because that indeed was his favorite. _This guy better be something._ **“No can do. Just save me something for later. Love you.”**

 

He switched back to the Tinder app with a twinge of guilt. The cafe was right across from Shinjuku Station so he might even be able to see when the buses arrived through the window. Not that he knew who to look for.

 

**\---**

 

 _Oh FINALLY, movement!_ L thought to himself, hunching in on himself as some of the other passengers began heading towards the doors, jostling him. He cursed under his breath, giving his patented death glare to anyone who became particularly aggressive. Thankfully, Asahi wrote back quickly, keeping his attention off his nerves somewhat (or at least, keeping his attention on an entirely _different_ set of nerves, one that was infinitely more pleasant to think on). The actual content of the message sent a warm swirl of sensation through him, an odd mix of apprehension, anticipation and arousal. _He’s… trying to figure out where I’m coming from? I wonder if he has any guesses. He must be quite intelligent if he’s playing THAT kind of game to stay entertained._ His map app pinged softly to let him know that he only had a few stops left, and he sighed in relief, taking that moment to inch towards the rear door.

 

 **“Asahi, are you trying to impress me? Because I will be perfectly frank with you, that is not an easy feat. But… yes. If you can figure out where I’m coming from, I will gladly give you a prize. Though I do believe I already offered to treat you to something for making you wait this long. I apologize.”** He glanced up as the bus slowed, making sure he didn’t miss his stop, and then frowned when he received a regular text. _Watari? Damn it._

 

**“Ryuzaki, the others informed me of your little excursion. Please give me the details at your earliest convenience. I would like to make sure you are exercising caution.”**

 

Guiltily, L sighed, texting back a quick, **“Of course, Watari. Thank you for your concern. Will update ASAP.”**

 

Great, now he was going to have to come up with an excuse that Watari might actually _believe_. That was exactly what he had hoped to avoid when he left the way he had. _This Asahi better be worth the aggravation of meeting him._ L was close enough to his stop now that he didn’t bother going back to the Tinder app, instead shutting his phone off completely… just in case Watari tried to activate the GPS tracker in his phone.

 

**\---**

 

Light let his chin fall into his hand as he stared out the window towards the bus station. He tried not to keep checking his watch, and frowned when it started to drizzle outside. _That won’t do the traffic any favors. Damn._ He scribbled a shorthand note in the margins of his map about rain, tracing the tip of his pencil over imaginary streets radiating from here. _I bet he’s coming from Midtown, there’s an intersection...here...he would have been caught in about 10 minutes ago when he texted me about it. But all that’s down that way is skyscrapers. Hmm._

 

His phone buzzed again and he grabbed it, grinning that it wouldn’t be ‘an easy feat.’ He typed back, **“Well if it was easy, I wouldn’t be doing it. And I’ll take two prizes, thank you.”** Light sent it and was about to send something else when he saw that Ryuzaki had logged off. _Maybe that means he’s close._ He turned his attention back to the bus station, watching a bus slowly edge up to the overhang and stop. A drove of people filed out, most of them opening umbrellas quickly and occluding their faces. A few without umbrellas just made a break for it to get out of the rain, which had picked up substantially in the past few minutes. Several people were crossing the intersection and coming this way, but they quickly merged into the off-work foot traffic mess that always swarmed this area.

 

 _47 minutes._ If this was Ryuzaki’s bus Light had narrowed it down to two places. Midtown and Nakano. Both had heavy traffic about now and he circled the potential bus stops. Really he should be leaning towards Nakano because it just was much more middle-class and statistically likely. Maybe he’d get a sudden burst of insight when he saw Ryuzaki in the flesh. Nerves rushed in as he thought, _This is really happening, I’m really going to do this._ Would the butterflies in his stomach betray his true naivety here, his inexperience? What if this Ryuzaki was perpetually hooking up and would be able to tell he’d never done something like this before? Light didn’t like feeling so out of his element, but like anything else he set his mind to (or was interested in), he’d thoroughly ‘researched’ sexual behavior. _Maybe a little too well._

 

Only dregs were left in his cup now. _Hurry up!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ghost: There was a question from a reader about this, so in regards to L’s suspicion over ‘Asahi’... L gave Soichiro the alias Asahi Yonjuro when he first met with the NPA officers.
> 
> ZJ: Light was hacking his father’s computer during this time and ‘stole’ the alias as a funny joke to him, of course not knowing he was meeting up with L.


	2. Sweet Little Lies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Light and L meet at the cafe on their 'date' and trade flirtations as well as lies.

Of _course_ it had to start raining just as L reached his stop. Of all the bad luck. If L were a superstitious man, he would have taken that as an omen. Since he was _not_ , he merely tugged his hood up to cover his hair, not wanting it to get completely soaked and drip everywhere, because wouldn’t _that_ make a fantastic impression. _Gombei, Gombei is…_ L paused under the overhang, gaze flicking quickly around to the signs above the various storefronts, and alighting on the cafe almost immediately. _This is it. I hope he doesn’t take one look at me and laugh, but… if nothing else, at least I’ll be able to try their cake._

 

He quickly joined the crowd of people hurrying across the intersection, shoving his hands in his pockets and hunching in against the rain. Breaking off from the main body of people, he paused, taking a deep, steadying breath before opening the door and stepping in, shaking the rain off of him as much as he could and stripping out of his heavy jacket. Heavy as it was, some of the rain had still soaked through in some spots to dampen his shirt, and he grimaced at the sight. At least his hair was only a little damp. With any luck, it _wouldn’t_ frizz up into a tangled spiky mess. Draping his jacket over one arm, he looked around the cafe, immediately spotting a familiar face right in the back. _And… there he is. Damn. He’s even more beautiful in person._

 

From across the cafe, Light watched a throng of new customers enter the cafe and none of them looked very pleased to have been caught in the torrent that was now turning to a thunderstorm. Most of them gravitated towards the ordering counter, but one dark-haired figure in a completely soaked jacket was looking around the room expectantly. Light’s breath caught in his throat because somehow he _knew_ it was him, it was Ryuzaki. Those nervous butterflies morphed into flapping harpies in his stomach but there was no time for nerves. _He’s coming this way, shit!_

 

The man’s appearance was curious, interesting, and Light didn’t really know what to make of it. Eyes too big for his pale face, slightly hunched over as if carrying a heavy weight. _Maybe he has scoliosis, I shouldn’t stare because that’s so rude._ His spiky black hair was longish and was fluffing up slightly from the humidity, giving the impression of a feathery hedgehog.

 

Cheeks heating, L took another deep breath and started determinedly towards the booth, trying to come up with something to say that didn’t sound like a ten year old boy talking to his first crush. So of _course_ what came out of his mouth as he finally stopped at Asahi’s booth was the ever so smooth, “Hi.” _God_ , he wanted to die right there on the spot.

 

Light met the man’s unblinking eyes as he stopped at his booth in the back of the cafe and could feel his cheeks heating when he only mumbled ‘hi.’ _Asphyxiation, hate sex, roleplay._ The blush deepened but Light had the presence of mind to gracefully gesture to the other side of the booth. “Thanks for meeting me, Ryuzaki. Please sit down.” His fingertips brushed over his notes, pushing his little map project further beneath them to hide it. He felt rather silly now, admitting that he was doing that like some nerd. But since he already had admitted it… He smiled down at the papers, “Roppongi-ekimae bus stop in Midtown. That’s my guess.”

 

 _Holy shit. How?_ Swallowing hard, L scratched at the back of his neck, giving the young man a small, sheepish smile as he tossed his jacket onto the far end of the seat and sat, surreptitiously working his feet out of his shoes as he murmured a soft, “Thank _you_ for inviting me, Asahi. Again, I apologize for making you wait so long. Had I known I would be contending with rush hour traffic…” L trailed off, shrugging and shifting to cross his legs meditation-style under the table. He frowned a little as he surveyed the table.

 

“Two things. One. Why didn’t you order anything? It looks like you’ve only had one drink since you got here, and I would hazard a guess to say you’ve been here for at _least_ two hours, if not more.” L glanced up, studying Asahi’s face, both to gauge his reaction… and truthfully, just because the teen had the kind of classical beauty that had _always_ taken his breath away, made him want to stare, to weep, to _worship_ in whatever way would be permitted. He continued in a soft voice, bringing his hands into his lap and lacing his fingers together, trying to hide the way they were twitching, wanting to reach out and _touch_. “And two… I suppose I owe you a prize, now. I’m… not used to being proven wrong. Color me _impressed_.” That warm swirling in his abdomen was back even stronger than before, though the apprehension was slowly draining away the longer they sat here with Asahi not laughing him out of the restaurant.

 

Light couldn’t help but break into a grin when it was clear he was right, fingers clenching under the table into a fist. _Yes!_ He wiped it off his face nearly as soon as it appeared, but it immediately set him at ease and he felt a surge of badly needed confidence. He leaned back in the booth, feeling the tension lessening. “I didn’t order anything because I was waiting on you, of course. It wouldn’t have been very polite to eat without you, but now that you’re here…” He caught the eye of the server and inclined his head slightly to let her know to come over. When she gave a nod in return and held up a finger like ‘one second,’ he looked back to Ryuzaki. “I admit that chocolate mousse has been calling to me the past hour, and if one more customer had ordered it I might have just been rude and ordered it too.”

 

Light smiled, tugging his map from his notes and pushing it across the table. _He said it impressed him how I guessed, well, here’s how I did it._ “Don’t worry, I’m not going to stalk you or anything. It’s just how I like to pass the time when I’m bored.” _And I’m bored a lot these days, unless I’m writing some other kind of ‘notes.’_ “You’re right, I’ve been here since around 4 pm.” Frowning down at the trivial notes for the exam, “I was studying for the entrance exam at Toh-Oh.” It was a lie really, he had just wanted to get out of the house for a few hours and studying was his perpetual good excuse his parent’s never questioned nor worried about. Plus, Ryuk had been begging him to come downtown so the shinigami could see Shinjuku and was out somewhere likely playing pranks and swiping apples right now. _Not too far, he can never go too far._

 

“I hope the rain wasn’t too much of a bother.” Light’s eyes ghosted over Ryuzaki’s lanky frame, rain-splattered in some places and dry in others. Sheets were falling outside the window, creating a background drone of white noise that was relaxing to him. He wasn’t sure if that was why he didn’t feel quite as nervous as before, or maybe it was because something about Ryuzaki felt both comforting and challenging in a unique way. _What an unusual person._ He wanted to ask what his ‘prize’ was but thought he might get better results as the potential options expanded.

 

L had been watching Asahi with rapt interest, fascinated by the minute details of how he reacted to things. The way that triumphant grin faded away almost immediately, the sudden relaxation of Asahi’s shoulders, the quick shifts from a seemingly childlike eagerness to show off to the other emotions that flickered subtly over Asahi’s face, too quickly for him to catch and decipher. He could tell just from this little speech that, not only was Asahi an absolutely _brilliant_ teen, with a keen mind and deductive skills that seemed to match L’s own, but that he was also a brilliant actor. Obviously, there was no way to tell what exactly it _was,_ but aside from the obvious alias, it was clear this man was hiding something. If L were to hazard a guess, from the way Asahi had relaxed so quickly on finding out he had guessed right, it stemmed from a lack of confidence over something, and given the nature of how they had _met…_ well, maybe they were both in a similar boat in terms of experience. Or maybe Asahi was a skilled enough actor that he was giving off that impression to lure L into a false sense of security before he seduced him, but _that_ was far less likely. _Besides, it’s not like there’s a guarantee of any seduction. I DID say I just wanted to get to know him._

 

Cocking his head in a slightly owlish way, L reached out to slide the map the rest of the way over to him with the tip of one finger, lips moving silently as he read all of the little notes that Asahi had made. A smile spread across his lips, and without thinking, he brought the tip of his finger up to trace at his bottom lip before beginning to chew on the nail.

 

Light’s eyes followed that fingertip as it slid over Ryuzaki’s lip, trying not to stare too obviously. He forced himself to look back out to the street, because something in the man’s eyes seemed to see right through him. It was an odd sensation, like he was probing or analyzing him like some kind of specimen. Weighing his words, listening with laser focus despite their shallow banter so far. Prior to now, Light had wondered if Ryuzaki was some kind of food photographer given the number of close-ups of desserts on his Tinder profile. But no, he was something else, something closer to whatever Light was. _And what exactly is that?_

 

And then there were Ryuzaki’s mannerisms, none of which were off-putting but together they constructed a picture of someone who either didn’t know or didn’t concern themselves with appearances. _It must be nice to be so free._ Nearly every move Light made, any words spoken was a constructed appearance, a play for whatever audience was sitting before him. Like any good showrunner, he could instantly case his audience and what they wanted to hear and see. Fulfill that, get what he wanted, move on. But he was having trouble doing that now, getting a read on his ‘date.’ There wasn’t anyone to compare him to.

 

“You must use the public transportation system nearly every _day_ to be able to narrow it down by this much,” L finally said, glancing up through his hair. His tone was faintly teasing and he added, “Are you _sure_ I don’t need to worry about you stalking me? This is a very detailed deduction. Were you timing it out based on my messages?” That was to say nothing of the other details Asahi had let slip. _Toh-Oh, huh? And he didn’t want to be rude. He clearly cares what other people think of him. Or did he just want to make a good impression on ME?_

 

Light gave an easy laugh, “No, I won’t stalk you. Plus, that station is one of the busiest in the city. I think you’re safe from a boring teenager like me.” He leaned forward slightly, pointing to the two circled areas. “It was a mix of things, the gestalt of what you said to me in messages, the time it took, the weather, the traffic you said you were caught in.” His eyes flicked up to Ryuzaki’s, “And then I just narrowed down the possibilities using that information and logic until I could only guess. So there was some instinct too.” A slightly cocky smile crept back in, because oh how he loved to be right.

 

 _A ‘boring’ teenager like you… yeah, I don’t believe that line for a second,_ L thought to himself, a tiny smile on his face as he watched the pride and smugness play over Asahi’s face as he launched into his little ‘explanation’. In all honesty, L had already figured out that Asahi would have been able to put more clues together than he could, because, despite L having been born in Japan, he hadn’t lived here for a _very_ long time. He didn’t know his way around the city, and when it came right down to it, for this? He really had no use for all the minute details. Really, he just wanted to watch Asahi talk. _And he sure does talk a lot._

 

“By the way-” L cut himself off immediately when the server approached their table, and looked across the table at Asahi. At least the teen already knew what he wanted.

 

The waitress cleared her throat, signaling her presence beside them at the table while they stared at each other. “Um...did you want to order?”

 

Light leaned back again, draping an arm on the top of the booth. “A cappuccino this time. And I’ll have one of those chocolate mousse cups too.”

 

The waitress grimaced, “Oh, sorry about that, we just sold the last one a moment ago. Had a bit of a rush of people getting out of the rain and well...Would you like something else?”

 

Light let out a gradual hiss of disappointment, because that was what he’d be waiting for. “I see. I suppose it's my own fault for not having you set one aside.” He smoothed his brow of irritation, presenting a cheerful face to the waitress. “The strawberry mousse then, do you still have that?” She nodded and jotted it down, and Light’s jaw finally unclenched completely.

 

The waitress turned to Ryuzaki, “And you sir?” She pointed to the glass case up front, still well-stocked despite being chocolate mousse-less.

  
Something fascinating happened when Asahi finally put in his order. L actually had to lean back, folding his arms in front of him and bringing one hand up to cover his mouth as he fought down a grin. He had already been about to tell Asahi that he didn’t _care_ if the teen was trying to be polite for him, and that he should have ordered what he wanted, but saying that _now_? Asahi would probably think he was mocking him, and even though the situation was funny, he didn’t want to bruise the teen’s (apparently fragile) ego. The smile behind his fingers faded slightly as he watched the teen struggle to put a cap back on his anger. Oh, to the waitress, he probably recovered admirably, but to L? He could see that Asahi was walking a thin line between acceptable social behavior and blowing up. _Over something so small, too._

 

When the waitress finally turned to him, L said softly, “A chocolate mocha latte, if you have one? It’s my first time getting anything here.” Glancing up at her briefly, he turned his gaze back to Asahi and leaned forward slightly, head cocked to the side again. “And what desserts do you recommend? I’m looking for something… decadent.”

 

She sighed and said, “Well, we still have a slice of our dark chocolate cheesecake, it’s quite popular.”

 

“Does that appeal to you at all, Asahi?” L asked softly, smiling at the teen and leaning his chin in his hand.

 

 _Ah so I amuse you?_ Well, it was true, it was a pretty stupid thing to get in a huff over, especially compared to the actual problems in his life. Light pretended not to notice the little smile Ryuzaki was trying to hide and gave him a nod in assent to the cheesecake, but the nerves were creeping back in.  _I’m on edge and not doing a very good job of hiding it. Do better Yagami._ For a moment, his face became absolutely blank, like pressing the reset button, then slid into an expression of casual interest. The waitress had walked away now, going back to the bar to prep their drinks and he was left alone with Ryuzaki again.

 

That brief, blank expression on Asahi’s face gave L pause, and his eyes widened as he stared, chin still in hand even as his fingers idly stroked at his mouth in thought. He was silent as he observed the steps that Asahi took to put himself back on firmer ground, and for a moment, it was a startling glimpse behind the mask. _What is UP with you, Asahi? Who are you, really? He feels so familiar to me… seems like we have a few things in common, personality wise._ And what the heck kind of date was this, anyway? L had to admit to himself that, whatever else happened, this was _definitely_ worth the irritation of getting here. He had _wanted_ interesting, and, well, he had certainly _gotten_ interesting.

 

Light reached across the table to push the map back with his notes, putting it all back in his book bag. _This is a date, I should be chatting about favorite movies or something. How can I do this so easily with silly girls like Misa, and now I don’t know what to say?_ Light wanted the spotlight off him for once, and shifted the conversation away. His tone was breezy, conversational, “You mentioned you had a penchant for sweets. From all the dessert photos in your profile, I wondered if you might be a photographer or a food critic.” Unspoken was, _but now I don’t._ “Any particular reason you don’t post your face?” He could think of a few reasons, chiefly among them that perhaps he was hiding something, or just hiding himself. _And who needs a face….are you afraid of Kira, Ryuzaki?_ But there was no need to jump to conclusions like that; there were plenty of mundane reasons for doing it, although Ryuzaki didn’t seem to fit mundane explanations.

 

“Not that I’m complaining. Looking at something appetizing was a welcome change from all the profiles that...weren’t.” The way Light was looking at him now was if he was a decadent dessert and might appeal much more than cheesecake.

 

Asahi’s simple and innocent-sounding question made L begin to feel… compromised. Because Asahi had already shown himself to be quite good at deduction, and reasoning. Asking why ‘Ryuzaki’ didn’t show his face? Considering everything that was happening in the world? _What are you looking for?_ “Somehow, I don’t think you would accept any answer I might give you. _Would_ you, Asahi? You’re too smart for that,” L said quietly, a pleasant shiver rolling through him at the way the teen looked at him just then, and he squirmed in his seat a little. “I’m starting to get the feeling you didn’t believe me when I said I wasn’t going to jump right into bed with you. Is that why you’re laying on the seductive vibe so strongly, Asahi?” _Because I have to admit… it’s REALLY doing it for me. Depending on what you do next, you might even convince me to rethink that statement._

 

Light’s only tell was a slight rise at one corner of his mouth as he stared across the table. _Deflection, laced with flattery, topped with redirection to something I’d want to know more about. Fascinating._  “No, you’re probably right. I wouldn’t.” There were quite a few other questions that he was curious about—like Ryuzaki’s Japanese was _almost_ flawless but Light could catch nearly imperceptible inflections that told him it wasn’t his native tongue (or perhaps had spent much time out of Japan). His features weren’t Japanese either although there could have been some genetic influence.

 

This game was shaping up to be far more fun than the one he’d passed the time with before. It seemed clear that Ryuzaki had zero inclination to tell him direct truths about himself, and had (correctly) deduced the two things that would get Light to sheath his questions. His date was no stranger to subtly veiling himself or to seeing under the veils of others. Light knew perfectly well that these were skills one wasn’t born with but rather honed by use. He’d let the non-answer slide, especially given the new door that just opened into the conversation. Plus, what else did he really need to know about this man other than whether and what he was _up_ for? Not like Light ever planned on seeing him again after he’d gotten the whole embarrassing virginity thing over and done with.

 

Light could tell that Ryuzaki was less practiced at hiding his physical reactions, at least the ones _he_ seemed to be inducing, and the little shiver and how he squirmed under Light’s seductive gaze made it easy to forget about anything else. Light licked his lips, smiling a little more now. “Depends on if it’s working. Like you said, I don’t believe much of what people _say_.”

 

Intelligence was such a huge turn on to Light and he hadn’t expected to find it on a slutty vapid place like Tinder. He knew it when he saw it, and it wasn’t often when he wondered if he was evenly matched. In fact, that had never happened before, and he still didn’t know quite enough to make _that_ call. He knew he’d always had unusual tastes in what he found attractive; pointed out regularly by all of Misa’s friends and fans of how _lucky_ he was to be dating someone so beautiful. But when he looked at her he only saw cover, not attraction, but knew she was objectively pretty. It was like looking at an extremely well-executed painting that meant nothing to him, wishing he was in another part of the museum entirely with art that resonated but didn’t have one trillion prints for sale. _I guess that’s how people view me too, and better that way._

 

“Plus, I think you want me to seduce you.” A cocky smile as Light tossed his bangs from his eyes. “I’ve already had to suffer the crushing denial of chocolate mousse. Don’t tell me I can’t have something else I want.”

 

 _‘I don’t believe much of what people say’? So cynical, even for a teenager._ Even with the way Asahi’s words and little seductive gestures were affecting him (and they were _definitely_ affecting him, if the way his body was heating up or the way his heart was racing was any indication), L found himself catching on that detail. And suddenly, other pieces started forming into a picture like a jigsaw puzzle, showing him bits and pieces of a new suspicion. _That… this can’t be normal teen behaviour, even for someone as smart and appealing as Asahi. He certainly can’t know who I am, because I haven’t given him anything to work with, so for him, I’m literally just something he wants. But why? Surely he can have anyone he wants, why even use a hookup app in the first place?_

 

“And if I do?” L asked carefully, wishing he’d just sat in his usual crouch as he leaned forward, eyes intent on Asahi’s and elbows on the table, licking his own lips before giving in to the urge to smile. Anticipation and arousal, and a perverse hope that this wasn’t some kind of cruel joke was drowning out his usual caution… but hearing Asahi outright _say_ that he wanted him made the prospect worth it, and really, who had he even been _kidding_? L had been hoping for an outcome like this from the moment he’d left headquarters. He had expected Asahi would be interesting enough to hold his attention for a brief chat, but would ultimately be the one to decide that he wasn’t interested in L after all… but he hadn’t expected to stumble on someone so _intriguing_. He needed to keep this going, he _needed_ to find out more. “I’m curious how you would go about it. You’ve already manipulated my self admitted sweet tooth to get me here, and you’ve made a _lovely_ little show of your intelligence to keep my interest. So how were you planning to... follow _through_?”

 

Light tilted his head slightly at Ryuzaki’s half-admission. _He’s still playing coy after I came out and said he’d get lucky?_ Light wasn’t sure if he was being mocked or not, using words like ‘manipulate’ and ‘little show.’ The only person he’d been amusing was himself; playing with people, testing them was just fun to him. “Manipulated you?” _I guess he thinks that since I asked him to come right away._ His eyes widened dramatically as he smiled back in joking disbelief. “Should your offer to pay for my cake be considered bribery then?” His eyes flicked to the waitress who was heading over to them, balancing their drinks and desserts on a tray.

 

“Here you are. Strawberry mousse and a cappuccino for you, chocolate cheesecake and a mocha for you. Enjoy!” She wandered back to the counter to deal with other customers.

 

Light dipped a finger in the foam, holding Ryuzaki’s gaze as he licked it off with just a flash of pink tongue. _How would I go about it? Just admit it._ Quietly, “Truth is, I’ve never done anything like this before.” Homosexuality wasn’t exactly considered socially acceptable by his family and friends, he’d had to hide that nearly as much as being Kira. Having Misa around served dual purposes there, even though it was exhausting at points to keep making excuses why they couldn’t be intimate. “Hence the app. Hence the hurry.” _And the fake name._ It was a relief to just state it plainly in case Ryuzaki had expected him to have any experience or wondered why he was nervous.

 

It wasn’t likely he’d be spotted randomly here by someone he knew, Light had taken the train a ways to get here. “I’m not looking to date or any kind of relationship. I just wanted…” _I don’t know._ Light looked down at his coffee, stirring the foam around lazily with a small spoon before blushing and laughing nervously. “I don’t get many opportunities to have fun and be myself so...when I have the chance I guess I just go for it. Sorry if it seemed like I was pushing too hard. It was just because I was interested in you.” He turned to his mousse, scooping up a delicate bite and pushing it into his mouth before he said anything else embarrassing.

 

L blinked, surprised that Asahi had just come out and told him the truth… if, indeed, this _was_ the truth. It definitely had the ring of truth to it, though, and he sat back with his mocha, sipping as he watched the teen play with his dessert. _So he’s never done this, either. I’m glad to know we’re on equal footing._ Honestly, L could admit to himself that _that_ was probably one of the main reasons he had been playing it so close to his chest. Could _he_ ever admit the type of things Asahi had just admitted to out loud, to a complete stranger? _Not likely. At least… not all of them._

 

“Would it surprise you to know that _I’ve_ never done this, either?” L finally said in a soft, sheepish voice, setting the cup down and finally shifting to a more comfortable sitting position, knees pulled to his chest, letting Asahi catch a glimpse behind his own mask this time.

 

Light’s eyes darted up when Ryuzaki voiced his own inexperience, relief visible in his eyes as he smiled around his spoon. It wasn’t a gloating smile but rather just one of small gratitude for meeting him halfway in this half-truthed conversation. It made him feel better, and he didn’t care if someone was a 24-year old virgin or a 99-year old one. He certainly hadn’t found anyone in his real life he’d ever wanted so far, had started to think that maybe he never would and that some people never do. Tinder had been a way to expand outside his circle as well as maintain some sheen of anonymity. To prove to himself that there wasn’t anything _wrong_ with him, right? For not wanting anyone?

 

Light wanted to say, _No, it doesn’t surprise me. I wanted it to be true._ Because Light felt like he understood the reason in a way, even if it was projecting. _It_ **_is_ ** _projecting, and it would come off bad if I said that. He’d misunderstand._ So instead he just took another bite of the mousse that was the same color as his face and said, “Guess we’re in the same boat then.”

 

Throughout their exchange, as L had been watching, he’d seen the relief and the gratitude flash across Asahi’s face, and knew he had made the right decision to be honest. _I need to stop thinking like a detective for once. This is a date, not an interrogation._ A date. Which he’d never been on before. No wonder he had nearly fucked it up. He couldn’t completely turn off his observant and suspicious nature, but… well. L actually felt at ease, somewhat, with Asahi, despite his suspicions. Maybe it was because the teen didn’t seem to be judging him for his strange mannerisms, seemed more curious and interested than anything - hell, he’d even _said_ as much.  

 

L smiled and tugged the plate with his cheesecake onto his knees to take a bite, eyes fluttering closed at the simple pleasure of rich flavors and textures melting onto his tongue. _Their reputation for exquisite cake is well earned, my god._ Swallowing, he added slowly, voice dropping unintentionally to an almost throaty purr, “ _Wow._ I don’t normally like dark chocolate much, but this is _divine_.”

 

Light watched with quiet curiosity as Ryuzaki pulled his legs up into the seat, balancing the plate of cake on his knees. At first, he thought it was a withdrawal from him after that admission, drawing up into himself and away. But he looked infinitely more comfortable somehow despite the unusual position, proceeding to dig into the cake with a look of pure bliss. _Whoa. He wasn’t joking when he said he really loved cake. Or maybe that chocolate is really that amazing._

 

Biting his lip, L finally lifted his gaze to Asahi, well aware of the fact that his face was probably flushed uncomfortably red. “Do you… want to try it?” He leaned forward, extending his fork with another bite of cheesecake speared onto the end, intending it as a peace offering, an apology… or an invitation, if Asahi still felt so inclined.

 

Light giggled quietly, “Were you actually hoping to meet a dessert on Tinder and that’s the real reason for all the food pictures? I hope you weren’t too disappointed to find out I wasn’t sentient cake.” Leaning forward, he parted his lips and took the proffered bite, looking up through his long lashes as he slid back from it. _Delicious._ “Mmm. I don’t usually go for heavy things like cheesecake but you’re right.” He wiped a bit of it from the corner of his mouth. “Sinful.”

 

Asahi’s light teasing about his Tinder profile was equal parts amusing and _annoying_ , and it brought a bemused scowl to L’s face, enough that he had nearly pulled the proffered bite away... but then the teen was leaning forward to take it, and L found his mouth going dry at the sight. “Asahi…” The sultry way he was looking up through his hair was… well, Asahi himself had said it. _Sinful. God, I want him._ “For…” Swallowing hard, L tried to work some moisture back into his mouth, gaze alternating between Asahi’s mouth and his eyes. “For someone who has never done this before,” he said with an almost breathless voice. “You certainly know how to make things… _quite_ enticing.” _I get the feeling I shouldn’t try to kiss him here. Damn. I want to._

 

Light let out a soft exhale at Ryuzaki’s words, seeing that his small flirtation had had the intended effect. “I never said I wasn’t a horrible tease.” He laughed to himself, thinking of how much that talent had gotten him over the years. “What’s new is actually, how did you put it…” He waved his fork blithely, “...following through.”

 

L shook his head a little, trying to push his thoughts to the back burner for now as he took another bite of that ‘sinful’ cake. It still didn’t hold a candle to his favourite strawberry shortcake, but he was still going to savor as much as he possibly could. “Is there somewhere a little more private you’d like to go, if you feel so inclined after dessert?” L asked softly around the fork, smiling hopefully, gaze flickering around the cafe to make sure there was no-one else near to hear their conversation. _And after all my talk of not hooking up on the first date, one little admission, one little sensual move, and I’m the one suggesting it,_ he thought wryly, trying not to think about what Asahi had said about not _looking_ to date. Maybe he could change his mind on that front.

 

Light instantly perked up when Ryuzaki suggested they go somewhere more private, thinking _fucking finally._ But he was very excited and trying not to let it show, despite picking up the pace slightly on his eating. “Hmm. Well, I can’t exactly take you to my parents’ house.” Light bit his lip, laughing as he thought of the shocked looks on their faces if he brought a man home. The other option was a hotel and Shinjuku was chock full of them, but that presented another embarrassing problem. Lowering his voice, “I...don’t exactly have any money. Not enough for the hotels around here anyway.” This was a ritzy area for tourists and high-class shopping, Light couldn’t even imagine what the per-night would be. He only had a few thousand yen in his pocket and would have been loathe to admit that he still got an allowance from his parents. It would be rude to prompt Ryuzaki to pay for such an exorbitant thing, from the way he was dressed and his youth it wasn’t likely he was in a much better financial place than Light.

 

“Do you have an apartment around here?” Light was throwing caution to the wind but he hadn’t gotten bad or dangerous vibes from Ryuzaki. _I still have my cell phone and I think I could take him in a fight if he tried to hurt me._ The last bite of mousse was eaten, his drink close to done. Already he was trying to formulate some excuse in his mind of how he could get away with staying out very late or possibly even all night. Light had a somewhat close friend at school (who had slim hopes of getting into Toh-Oh) that would probably cover for him if pressed. He crossed his fingers under the table and waited to see what Ryuzaki thought.

 

L noticed the way Asahi had picked up his pace of eating, and the room suddenly felt about ten degrees hotter. _Oh my, he’s eager._ Not that he was complaining in the slightest, content to follow his lead - at least as far as his drink was concerned. The cake was another matter. _I’m going to have to get this to go, I want to enjoy it._ He listened to Asahi throw out suggestions, snickering when the teen asked if he had an apartment.

 

“I haven’t been in Tokyo for long, to be honest,” L pointed out. “So… no, I don’t have an apartment around here. And unfortunately, I can’t exactly take you back to the hotel I’m staying at currently, as it is… in use at the moment.” Watching that last bite of strawberry mousse disappear past Asahi’s lips was a bittersweet thing. He had wanted to try the dessert, honestly, but at least he had enjoyed watching him eat. Mostly because he liked watching Asahi’s _lips_. “I don’t think my suite mates would be happy about having their space invaded by a couple looking for some alone time. One of the hotels around here is perfect.”

 

Light paused as he ate the last bite of mousse, seeing the obvious disappointment on Ryuzaki’s face. _Oh that was rude not to share._ Mumbling wide-eyed around his spoon, “Oops.” He pulled the spoon out, giving an apologetic shrug as he grinned. “If it makes you feel any better, I’d only rate it a 5/10.” He leaned forward, a serious look in his eye as he whispered, “Artificial flavoring.” Surely unworthy of a place on Ryuzaki’s Instagram so not worth feeling disappointed about either. “So really I was just sparing you. The chocolate cheesecake was much better.”

 

That pulled a laugh from L, and he smiled, shaking his head. _5/10, huh? It still passes muster._ Reluctantly, L tore his gaze away, swallowing down the last of his latte and licking his lips clean before leaning down to grab his ( _still damp, ugh_ ) shoes from underneath the table and jam his feet into them. He wiped his hands off on his jeans and then reached for his jacket, rooting through the pockets until he found his hand sanitizer. Once used, it went back into the pocket, and he slid out of the booth, shrugging into the jacket as he said in wry amusement, “So from your hurry, I take it you just want to get out of here? I’m going to trust your judgment on where we go from here, I’m not familiar with this area.” He snatched up the plate with his cake, turning away with a tiny smile.

 

Light hopped out of the booth when Ryuzaki did, grabbing his book bag and slipping his phone into his pocket. Stepping closer to Ryuzaki he whispered, “Hmm. Well, I know a good hotel just a block away, the best in Tokyo in fact. The Park Hyatt.” Shrugging on his backpack, second thoughts crept in because that was _also_ the most expensive and luxurious hotel in all of Tokyo. “Actually, that’s probably too expensive. The Sakura is four blocks away and is a decent budget hotel. Shared bathrooms though.” A slight shudder went through him, but it was mostly for show. Light had left out about 38 other perfectly reasonable hotels in the area that would have sufficed, but he’d finally decided on what he wanted his prize to be. _Because aren’t I worth it?_

 

L glanced back at Asahi, rolling his eyes slightly at the intense focus on the teen’s face before turning away slightly, pulling his own phone out of his pocket and turning it on to check out the hotels he had suggested. His eyebrows shot up in surprise at the huge difference in price, and his gaze slid back to Asahi in amusement. _He thinks I can’t afford the Hyatt. I suppose I can’t blame him. Might as well show off a little, since he’s clearly angling for something special._

 

“Your call. Let me text my parents I’ll be...sleeping over at a friend’s house while you decide.” Light opened his phone, hurriedly texting Shinji as the waitress flew over to stop Ryuzaki from taking away the plate. **“Shinji, need a favor. If my parents call you, I’m at your house tonight, got it? And yeah, I’ll help you with your calc homework later.”** Shinji was a pretty cool guy, even if he was dumb as a rock.

 

Light got a text back almost right away. **“Sneaky Yagami! Sure dude, sleeping here uh huh. You bangin’ Misa riiiiight?????”**

 

He sighed, letting out an annoyed snort. _Not likely._ “ **Ahah, you guessed it. Thanks, you’re a real friend. I owe you.”**

 

L’s face heated slightly when the waitress bustled over to take his plate. _I forgot that they really don’t like customers handling the dishes when they’re done with them here,_ L thought to himself, giving her a wide eyed stare. That was embarrassing. At least Asahi was busy texting. “I just wanted to get it to go,” he told her hastily, grateful when she just snatched the plate from his hands with a short nod, lips pressed into a thin irritated line as she stalked away. _Yeah, yeah, I know, I’m just another stupid, weird foreigner who doesn’t know the customs to you_.

 

While he waited on Asahi, L went to the Park Hyatt website, checking the rooms that were available. There were quite a lot of higher tier rooms that looked quite tempting, but… he hesitated to reveal to the teen right away that he was _that_ loaded. No, one of the nicer, lower end rooms would suffice. _Maybe next time, if there IS a next time, I’ll treat him to something nicer._ He punched in the reservation before he could change his mind, and jumped slightly when Asahi addressed him.

 

Light shot a quick text to his parents to let them know what he was doing, it was a Friday night so they didn’t put up a fuss. By the end of it the waitress had put Ryuzaki’s cake into a to-go box. “Ok, all set. So, which will it be?”

 

Putting his phone away, L smiled at him and said softly, “I’ve got a reservation for the Hyatt. Let me pay for-” He held up the cake, a thrill going through him when he saw Asahi’s reaction. _Yup. Definitely the right choice, happy looks good on him._ “- _this_ , and the rest, and let’s go.”

 

Light gasped softly when Ryuzaki said he wanted to go to the Park Hyatt, he’d really only thrown it out as a lark anyway. His face lit up, “Really??! I’ve always wanted to—“ He bit his lip, trying not to smile THAT huge, “I mean, sure, if that’s where you want to go.” But he was a bundle of excitement now, he’d never spent the night in such a fancy hotel and _especially_ not for some romantic reason. _Oh._ _Where exactly did ‘romantic’ come from? No, this is just a hookup, nothing more. But what a place to hook up._

 

The temptation to grab the teen’s hand and squeeze was great, but L figured he would let Asahi make that call as he headed to the register… only to stop and stare in wonder at the glass case filled with delicious looking treats. “ _Oh._ Oh, I am getting _all_ of the cake pops.”

 

Light followed Ryuzaki to the counter, barely believing this was really happening. It made him grin to see the look of delight on Ryuzaki’s face when he noticed the elaborate cake pop display. “Hey, let me buy these for you. I have enough for that.” He didn’t have much more than that to be honest, but he wouldn’t tell Ryuzaki that. Light didn’t want him to think he wasn’t appreciating his generosity, that hotel was incredibly pricey. Before Ryuzaki could protest, he’d pushed the yen into the waitress’ hand, “All the cake pops please, in something we can carry out?”

 

L smiled a little as he looked down, heart pounding hard, and the giddy, excited feeling only got more pronounced when Asahi beat him to the punch and paid for the entire display. _He bought me sweets just because I wanted them. Is that just because I gave him what HE wanted? Asahi, or whatever your real name is, you are already worth every penny I just spent to impress you._

 

It took a while for the waitress to box the pops up, and Light fidgeted with his hair as he worked up the nerve to hold Ryuzaki’s hand or touch him in some way. Being in public and right at the front of the cafe made him nervous, and he kept stalling until finally the waitress returned with a bag. He took it, surprised at the weight. _Whoa, that’s a lot of cake pops._

 

As L paid for their previous order, he couldn’t stop looking over and smiling, and it seemed like Asahi was feeling the same way. L was just feeling bold enough to step in close and take his hand himself when the waitress reappeared with the bag of pops, and he couldn’t help but laugh at the look of sheepish surprise on Asahi’s face.

 

Light felt warm when Ryuzaki took his hand, the first time they’d touched. “Well the hotel’s only a block away.” He strode towards the door, holding it open as the sounds of the rain reminded him of his lack of an umbrella. “I guess I’ll just get wet. Or…” Light turned to look over his shoulder, smiling, “We could make a dash for it.” Light pointed to the hotel, the elegant gilded sign marking the entrance.

 

  
“You know…” L started, following Asahi and giving him a shy nudge with his elbow as they stood in the doorway. “I think the mad dash sounds like fun.” With that, he nudged Asahi out into the rain, stepping out after him and taking his free hand as they made a break for it. He hadn’t done something this silly just for fun in a _long_ time, and it felt _good_ to let loose and just dash through the rain like a little kid again.


	3. Transparent in a Hurry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Light and L get a room at the Park Hyatt and things start to heat up.

Light was surprised but pleased when Ryuzaki’s long fingers slipped into his. He didn’t have much time to feel worried about the looks they were probably getting before he was pulled out the door. Laughing, he tried to shield the bag from the rain but it was a lost cause. Luckily they could move pretty fast together, darting through the sparse crowd on the sidewalk, bouncing from one dry awning to the next until they were finally in front of the Park Hyatt.

 

“Oh my god, we must look like two drowned rats.” Light shook his head, letting go of Ryuzaki’s hand for a moment to wipe the rain from his face. “Do you think they’ll even let us in?” Light hadn’t brought a heavy coat or worn anything with a hood, and damp tendrils of hair hung in his eyes. The bellhops outside of the hotel were giving them the eye but when he followed their gaze it made him blush. _Shit. This shirt became practically transparent in a hurry._

 

By the time they made it to the hotel, L knew that keeping his hair from turning into a mountain of fluff later was a lost cause. _Lion’s mane, here I come. I’m going to look like freaking Nuka._ As they walked in, he shook his head, spraying water droplets everywhere, and grinned to himself when Asahi did the same. His attention was quickly caught by the way Asahi’s shirt was clinging to him, leaving absolutely _nothing_ to the imagination. _And that’s going to be all mine very shortly._ His mouth went dry, and he brought his finger up to worry over his bottom lip, a sudden image going through his mind of licking cake crumbs off those gorgeous abs. That did absolutely _nothing_ to help his libido, which was currently going into overdrive. Belatedly, he realized that Asahi was talking to him.

 

Light had nothing to dry his hand off with but he took Ryuzaki’s again anyway, dreaming of warm fluffy bathrobes. He hesitated as they walked into the lobby, whispering quietly as soft classical music filled the air, “Are you sure about this?” But his eyes were as wide as saucers as he glanced from gilded turret to marble floor. Mumbling under his breath, “Wow…”

 

  
“I have a reservation, they’ll let us in,” L said confidently, and he was about to shrug out of his coat to offer it to the teen when Asahi took his hand again. _So this is what it feels like to hold hands with someone. I like this._ His heart was hammering out a steady double kick rhythm as they walked through the lobby, and he couldn’t help but do a happy little inner dance at the naked awe adorning Asahi’s face. “I am absolutely, 100% sure about this, Asahi,” he said softly, squeezing his fingers tighter around the teens’. He knew that he _should_ be paying attention to the beauty that was the Park Hyatt lobby, but for the moment, he only had eyes for Asahi. “Oh, and do you want my coat? Just until we get to the room, I mean…”

 

Light had, of course, noticed how Ryuzaki was looking at him in his soaked shirt but didn’t mind it one bit. _Does he have an oral fixation? His fingers are always in his mouth or touching it._ In fact, it sent a little thrill through him to nearly be half-naked in public beside him, nipples hard equally from the cold rain and the excitement of all of this. But the looks he was getting from everyone else _were_ a bit bothersome, especially since he didn’t exactly want to be remembered coming in here. _Eh, probably too late for that._ So when Ryuzaki offered his coat, Light murmured his thanks and quickly shrugged it on. It still felt warm from the man’s heat despite being as sopping wet as everything else they were wearing.

 

L stepped to the desk, reaching into his pocket and pulling out the fake ID he’d used to book the reservation. It, and the credit card he’d keyed in from memory, was connected to his own, very real, bank account, of course, something Watari had set up for him once he had finally reached an age he could USE a credit card, and he sincerely hoped that Watari wouldn’t notice the charge right away.

 

Light looked around as Ryuzaki dealt with the front desk, taking in every detail to try and memorize it for when he relived this memory later. Light doubted he’d ever get an opportunity like this again, not any time soon at least. His mind was also reeling, trying to deduce whether Ryuzaki was that rich he didn’t care about the expense or if he was really trying that hard to impress him.

 

The man at the desk looked at them dubiously, but when the reservation checked out, sniffed and didn’t say anything, just giving him the room keys. L murmured a polite ‘thank you’ to the man and turned back to Asahi with a grin. “See?” L laughed, handing one to Asahi.

 

Light slipped the key into his pocket. “That was easy.” He smiled, picking the bag of treats back up and glancing towards the elevator. “Well, lead the way.” _If there’s nobody in there I might not be able to hold myself back from just slamming him against the wall and kissing him._ He wasn’t sure if he hoped there was anyone in there or not.

 

L giggled because it _had_ been easy, and glanced quickly back at the man behind the desk who seemed to be pointedly ignoring them. The man was clearly disapproving, but just as clearly paid enough that he wouldn’t comment one way or another. L had read numerous stories of customers being turned away on holidays in other countries for not being of the right ‘quality’, but high-end places like this probably weren’t likely to do so. They wouldn’t want the bad publicity. Turning his thoughts to more _pleasant_ things, L nodded to Asahi to follow him as he started for the elevator, trying to quell the fluttering nerves assaulting him.

 

“I like the way you look in my jacket,” L said abruptly, as they reached the elevator. He looked back at Asahi as he pressed the button, looking the teen over briefly and then smiling. “Though I like the way you looked before, too.” Reaching for Asahi’s hand again, L paused, glancing down in consternation. “Do you want me to take one of those bags? I’m sorry, it didn’t occur to me earlier, it’s not fair for you to be carrying everything.” _I hope I’m not going overboard here_ , he thought to himself, glancing up slightly at Asahi now as the elevator door slid open.

 

Light blushed faintly at the praise, looking down at himself in the soggy coat. “I mean, I couldn’t give everyone in the lobby a free show.” Winking at Ryuzaki, “They didn’t even buy me cake.” The elevator door had opened and Light made a little noise of apprehension. _Oh shit, it’s empty._ He followed Ryuzaki inside, immediately noticing that there was an obvious security camera in the corner. _Double shit!_

 

As the doors slid closed and they were alone for the first time since they’d met, Light heard rather than felt the treats bag hit the floor. He yanked Ryuzaki beneath the camera, hoping it couldn’t see them directly underneath, and without any preamble just pressed their lips together. Light had been teased and taunted every time Ryuzaki had nibbled a finger or worried his lips. Now those lips were finally caught beneath his own before he could stop himself or reconsider. _I’m not going to waste any more chances, they won’t come again._

 

He finally pulled away when it dawned on him Ryuzaki wasn’t kissing back, only then realizing that his hands were encircling the man’s wrists and holding them against the wall. “Oh…” Light felt slightly panicked now that he got so carried away and didn’t even ask permission. He dropped his grip, swallowing hard as he looked away. “Shit, I’m sorry. I don’t usually do things like that.” In fact, he’d never done anything _remotely_ like that. “I shouldn’t have…”

 

“If you say you shouldn’t have kissed me,” L started, staring hard up at the teen as he stayed slumped against the wall, trying to catch his breath. “I might have to _kick_ you.” His thoughts were a jumbled mess, thrown into disorder from the sheer surprise and exhilaration of being kissed for the first time - and what a _spectacular_ first kiss it had been. Honestly, he had been so shocked that he had frozen in place as every nerve in his body went into a frenzy. But now that Asahi had pulled away, his thoughts were starting to realign themselves, and he pouted, pushing himself away from the wall of the elevator on wobbly knees and grabbing the lapels of the jacket to pull Asahi back towards him.

 

Light’s heart was racing as he heard Ryuzaki say that he’d kick him if he apologized, starting to smile again as his anxiety and shame faded away. He thought he’d be kicked _for_ doing it, not for stopping.

 

“No-one has ever kissed me before,” L whispered, taking a chance and trusting Asahi with this, hoping that the teen wouldn’t laugh at him. “I didn’t know what to do. But I _want_ you to kiss me again.” _Or maybe_ … L smiled, voice wobbling as he said coyly, “Especially if we’re going to be doing anything _more_ than that. Seems silly to apologize for it.” And without waiting for a response, he tugged Asahi down and kissed him back, perhaps a little clumsy, but enthusiastically.

 

Light sucked in a breath as he was yanked forward, lips parting as it dawned on him that Ryuzaki had absolutely no experience, even less than he did. Something about that was extremely hot to Light, that everything would be so new and uncharted. _Anything more than kissing will be for me too._ He was about to say something but the words were muffled when Ryuzaki tugged him into a kiss, humming into it happily instead. And this time, he wasn’t the only one getting into it. Knowing it was wanted made him bolder, parting his lips this time and exploring Ryuzaki’s mouth with his tongue. He was trying not to be overwhelming now that he knew it was Ryuzaki’s first kiss, threading his fingers into the man’s damp hair instead of pinning him. He could have stayed like that forever because their mouths seemed to slot like puzzle pieces, and it was so easy and comfortable. Not like with Misa where he was just trying to get it over with.

 

L couldn’t help but think, _I’ve died and gone to heaven, haven’t I?_ as he smoothed his hands against Asahi’s chest for a brief moment as they kissed, though he had to stop himself from _exploring_ anymore for the moment. He had seen the camera, too, after all. Not that they weren’t _already_ putting on a nice show for the camera, if it was capturing anything they were doing in the first place. But it was a high sweeter than any sugar high he’d ever experienced to be kissed and touched like this, and he wanted it _all_. The feeling of fingers in his hair was just that extra bit of sweetness on top of the experience that made him want it to never end. _And he still tastes faintly of the strawberry mousse. It doesn’t seem so bad to me, but maybe that’s because HE tastes so good._

 

It took the elevator door opening with a ding to knock him to his senses again, and Light pulled back with a start in case anyone was standing there waiting. Luckily it was just an empty hall looking back at him, which was a very good thing given how tight his pants felt now. He stuck his foot in the door to hold it open, looking back to smile at Ryuzaki. “Ok, we better get out of this elevator before I _really_ do something I’ll regret.” Technically he’d only regret it if he was caught. _Oh isn’t that the story of my life._

 

L only dimly heard the ding of elevator doors sliding open, more startled by the abrupt absence of lips against his, and L opened his eyes with a pouting sigh. “And what is it you’re afraid you’ll regret?” he asked, trying and failing to level a disapproving frown at Asahi. It probably came out looking more… well, _lovestruck_ than anything else, for lack of a better word. Picking up the otherwise forgotten bag with his cake pops, L stepped out of the elevator and began making his way down the hall, one hand shoved in his pocket as he scanned the doors for their suite number. Thank god he was wearing baggy jeans; he probably would have been mortified if his little predicament were easily noticeable in a glance.

 

Light waited until Ryuzaki was out of the elevator before sneakily adjusting himself in his pants. Things had gotten _uncomfortable_ quickly, and he was just glad Ryuk wasn’t there to laugh at him. _I wonder where he is. I would have expected to see him by now._ Not that he wanted to have to swat away that overgrown beetle but still, it was odd. Pushing those thoughts away, he hurried along with Ryuzaki, quickly glancing at the camera on his way out. He caught up with him standing in front of what he assumed to be the door to their room, fiddling with the keycard in the lock.

 

“I think the only thing I’d regret would be my behavior in the lobby if that keycard doesn’t work.” Light stepped close behind Ryuzaki, bending to smell the rain on his skin, tasting a drop of it still on his neck. Whispering, “I can have quite a temper when I don’t get what I want.” It was a joking threat really, because Light had never lost his cool in public _yet,_ although he’d come close a few times. Seeing obvious injustice would do it too, but he just contented himself alone at night with the Death Note on that front.

 

Normally, L didn’t have much trouble with technology, but he was having trouble getting the keycard to work. _Might have to do with the way my hands are shaking…_ he thought to himself, glancing quickly at Asahi as he stepped up behind him. The teen’s commentary about making a scene in the lobby made L snort, and he shook his head.

 

“Don’t be silly, Asah- _ahh_ …” He cut himself off with a startled moan, body going taut at the feeling of lips against his neck. His hand slipped, and he nearly dropped the keycard, only barely managing to keep his grip. That low whisper in his ear sent a hot spike of desire through him, not that he hadn’t already been feeling horny enough from the flirting and innuendo from earlier, or even just the kissing in the elevator, but _this…_ there was something about the way Asahi was leaning into him, hands skimming along the waistband of his jeans and casting his hot breath along his skin that told L that, _yes, this is most definitely happening._ He found himself letting out a breathless giggle as he leaned back against Asahi for a moment, turning his head slightly to whisper back, his own breath ghosting along the teen’s jaw, “I don’t think you want to see how _I_ get when I don’t get what I want.”

 

L reached out, trying the card one more time, and it worked. _Fucking FINALLY._ The door beeped and swung open. L briefly entertained an image of letting the teen tear his clothes off right there in front of the door, but instead pushed the door open, and took only one step in before stopping. A maid was in the room, looking back at them and just as startled.  _You have GOT to be fucking kidding me._

 

Light swore quietly under his breath, stepping back from Ryuzaki and letting his hands that had been previously toying with the waistband of the man’s pants fall to his side. He looked at the maid and tried to sound more imperious than he probably looked with his mussed wet hair and flushed face, “Room’s clean enough, thanks.” The maid took the hint and scurried past them into the hall with a squeak.

 

Asahi’s intimidation of the woman would normally have garnered some actual disapproval from L, but as things stood… _ahem_. “You didn’t have to frighten the woman to get her to leave,” L pointed out, turning to Asahi and sending him a knowing smirk, setting the bag down quickly just inside the doorway and stepping back into the room. “I think we probably would have scared her off just by being unable to keep our hands to ourselves.”

 

Light stepped into the room, tilting his head with a smirk as he closed the door behind him. “Poor little maid, but I’m certain she’ll recover from such a terrible fright.” Some people were skittish as butterflies, snapping like twigs at the slightest confrontation. Most of the world was made up of them actually, which was probably good for him, all things considered. _What would the world think if they knew it was a teenager that had turned it upside down?_

 

He advanced on Ryuzaki as the man backed into the room, eyes never leaving his. Softly, “I don’t scare _you_ , do I?” Light slipped an arm around his waist, continuing to move him backwards until they bumped into a low bar that served as a breakfast nook counter. He leaned in again to taste those lips, savoring the hint of chocolate that was still there with an appreciative hum. But he pushed harder this time, his hand moving up under Ryuzaki’s wet shirt to trace over his stomach and chest. All of this waiting and teasing and interruptions had gotten Light so tightly wound up inside he couldn’t help but grind his hips against the other man, letting him feel his desire literally. He hadn’t been shot down so far and if anything, Ryuzaki kept hinting that he wanted more. _I wonder what he wants..._

 

L watched as Asahi advanced on him, heart pounding with excitement. The smirk and the intent way the teen was looking at him right then was enough to get his mind racing with possibilities, and his hands came up to press against Asahi’s chest again, fingers curling into the wet fabric of his shirt as he was backed up against the bar. _You should know that when you look at me like that, it makes me want to throw caution to the wind and do all the dirty little things I’ve never been able to ask anyone else to do to me._

  
  
“ _You_ aren’t what I’m afraid of,” L breathed just before Asahi leaned in again to kiss him. He supposed he _could_ break the kiss to elaborate, but he didn’t want to admit that he was a little scared of his own strong reaction to the teen. That wasn’t enough to get him to stop, of course, and if he were being honest, that undercurrent of fear was making what they were doing that much more intense. He just wanted to feel Asahi’s lips and body against him - at least, much more than he wanted to _talk_ right now, and now that they were finally alone without the prospect of interruptions, he was going to take full advantage of that to just explore and _touch_. And with the way Asahi was grinding against him, pulling a ragged whine from him as he responded in kind, he clearly wasn’t the only one intent on exploring.

 

Light’s mouth trailed across Ryuzaki’s jaw to lick and suck his earlobe, letting him feel the edge of his teeth but not biting. _And is Ryuzaki one of the butterflies, the twigs? I don’t think I’d be like this if so._ The sounds Ryuzaki was making in response to him was _doing things_ to his body, and it was both a thrilling and scary feeling to think he might lose control of himself. And it was always important to control yourself, Light had been taught that, had it hammered in from an early age. Those teachings only became more real where there was so much more to hide, and so little that he’d thought anyone would understand. But who else could he do this with, be this way, but with a stranger? It took someone who didn’t know him at all to know him.

 

Light pulled away just enough to whisper in his ear, “I’m curious...were those preferences you listed in your profile bullshit, or real?” It was clear they were both full of lies, both in their profile and what they’d said to one another since meeting. But touch and taste was truth, this excitement was truth and felt real to him, as real as it needed to be in this moment. “Is that what you’re into? Is that what you like?”

 

When _Asahi_ was the one to break the kiss, the sensation of tongue and teeth on L’s earlobe pulled a low cry from him, almost enough to distract him from what Asahi had asked. He blinked, belatedly processing what he’d heard, and when he realized that Asahi had brought up his Tinder _preferences_ again, L couldn’t help but laugh, face flushed. “Just because I’ve never done anything before doesn’t mean the thought of... _experimenting_ with things like that doesn’t get me going. Are _yours_ real, or are they bullshit?”

 

Light grinned when Ryuzaki confirmed the truth behind _that_ part of his profile, finally giving in to the urge to roughly bite the man’s earlobe. “Oh, mine are very real, not that I’ve done any of it.” But the porn he’d actually engaged with (on a re-re-rerouted proxy of course, no need for any of that to see the light of day) had certainly fallen along certain themes. At first it had worried him, thinking that he should just be into the coy vanilla posings of buxom women like his friends would show him after school. All that had ever drawn from his mind was a yawn; it took exploring on his own to figure out why that was exactly. He exhaled hard when he felt Ryuzaki’s mouth on his neck, willing for teeth to sink in too, to make him feel alive before he had to go back to crushing ennui and monochrome normalcy. “But you just tell me what _you_ want.” The last thing he was going to do was freak the man out and lose his chance here; any experience Ryuzaki was willing to let him have was one he wanted desperately.

 

L couldn’t stop himself from leaning forward, pressing his parted lips to the pulse point on Asahi’s throat and sucking gently. _Does he want me tied up, or does he want me to tie HIM up?_ The thought flickered through L’s mind, making him shudder and pant. He had never particularly _thought_ about why certain things appealed to him, not wanting to delve into that side of him much, so he sincerely hoped Asahi wouldn’t ask… unless it was to ask if he was okay to try something tonight.

 

Dipping his head briefly to lick into the hollow of Asahi’s throat, L murmured hotly against his skin, “Just take my shirt _off_ if you want to touch. I can’t stand wearing wet clothes.” He brought his hands to the buttons on Asahi’s shirt, pulling back now to give him a questioning look as he licked his lips in anticipation. “We both want it. Wouldn’t you rather be a little more comfortable?” The unspoken _please_ belied his confident words, but L stared up at him anyway, waiting to see how Asahi would answer.

 


	4. Lollipop

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Light and L can't keep their hands (or mouths) to themselves.

Light didn’t need to be asked twice when Ryuzaki gave the signal he wanted to be rid of these wet clothes. “Mmm, I thought you’d never ask.” He shrugged off the heavy coat that he’d borrowed, hurriedly undoing the knot from his school uniform tie and yanking it free as Ryuzaki’s fingers worked the buttons of his shirt. He was slightly chilled in the air-conditioned room, but as he lifted his eyes to Ryuzaki’s he gave a little shrug like ‘why stop there?’ He yanked the man’s shirt off over his head and crashed back into his lips, hurriedly undoing his own pants and kicking them away. He wasn’t going to wait for permission this time as he fumbled with Ryuzaki’s too, it was clear they both wanted it. But stopping abruptly, a better idea came to mind. Light giggled softly into their kiss, pulling back and lifting Ryuzaki to sit up on the bar. He leaned down and tugged at Ryuzaki’s pants with his teeth until the button popped, looking up before taking the zipper between them and pulling it down.

 

Watching Asahi strip out of his clothes so quickly was leaving L reeling, and he found himself marveling over the way things had turned out, even more when the teen lifted him up onto the bar, shirtless and growing ever more frustrated with his - _oh_ . Heat and arousal lanced through him and he watched with parted lips as Asahi undid his jeans with his teeth. It was the most _erotic_ thing he’d ever seen.

 

“Holy shit,” L breathed, voice weak with desire. His breathing was erratic, chest heaving as he held himself up, hands gripping at the counter tightly. “That is so... _sexy_ , Asahi.” He squirmed a little, trying to help get his jeans off, his arousal making him bold as he added in a low voice, “Were you going to _blow_ me, or were you planning to take me right here?” _Am I okay with him fucking me right away?_ L reflected, mouth going dry. Would that be too quick? Did he honestly care? He wasn’t sure he _did_ care, honestly, they had the room for the whole night, and they’d been working up to this already before they’d even gotten to the hotel, so… really, why _wait_?

 

Light looked up through a fringe of bangs, marveling at the open arousal on Ryuzaki’s face and deciding he liked that expression _very_ much. He smiled when Ryuzaki asked whether he was going to blow him or fuck him, thinking _both, if you’ll let me._ A sultry whisper, “What’s the rush?” His fingers hooked in Ryuzaki’s pants, sliding them down when he lifted his hips but leaving his boxers on.

 

“N-no rush,” L whispered, the muscles in his stomach clenching deliciously at the feel of tongue and teeth against his skin. He was torn between wanting to _watch_ everything Asahi was doing and wanting to just _feel_ everything.

 

Light pressed an open-mouth kiss to Ryuzaki’s hip bone just above the waistband, teasing the skin with his tongue as he slid his mouth to his stomach. Light licked and nibbled his way up to his chest, pausing to lap at a nipple and suck it. “Or do you want me inside of you that badly?” His cock throbbed with that idea, and he pressed it against the side of the bar to get some stimulation, moaning softly against Ryuzaki’s chest.

 

Hearing Asahi ask that loaded question made the brief decision for him, head falling back and eyes squeezing shut as he groaned, a shudder going through him. “God, I _do_ want you inside of me, so much-” That soft moan Asahi let out against his chest sent little shivers through his skin, and as he let out a shaky huff of breath, L took that opportunity to unclench the fingers of one hand, bringing them up to thread through the teen’s still dripping hair as he smiled. “But we’ve got all night for _that_.”

 

Light’s mouth moved lower again, hovering above Ryuzaki’s groin as he shifted the man’s legs apart. “I’m not in any rush, but you’ll get everything you want.” Light rubbed his cheek and nose against the obvious erection under the thin fabric of Ryuzaki’s boxers, mouthing it lightly to tease him. “Else I’d suffer your _wrath_ right?”

 

When Asahi mouthed at him through his boxers, L smiled wider, looking back down at the teen with wide, excited eyes and reaching to trail his fingertips lightly against Asahi’s cheek. He spread his legs a little wider in anticipation, the low words escaping his mouth before he could stop them, “You’re right, I shouldn’t be such a _slut_.”

 

Light smiled up at him deviously, fingers finally tugging Ryuzaki’s boxers away and exposing him completely now. _No, being a slut is exactly what I want from you._ He held Ryuzaki’s gaze as he extended his tongue and slowly trailed it from the base to the tip of his cock, doing it again up the side and then the other side. Light hadn’t done this before but he’d watched it in porn enough to know, and could easily imagine what would feel good. But he wanted to see Ryuzaki squirm, see him fall apart tonight because of him, because of Light.

 

Asahi’s teasing tongue on his cock felt _good_ , incredible, but if L were ever to be asked what the best part of the initial experience was, he would be forced to admit that watching Asahi as he teased him was _it_ for him. Watching someone so gorgeous take his cock into their mouth like it was all they wanted to do - it wasn’t something he had ever expected. Fantasized about, sure, but he hadn’t ever _really_ thought it would happen. And yet, here he was, shuddering under Asahi’s ministrations and trying not to come too quickly. Virgin or no, _that_ would be embarrassing, no matter what Asahi said.

 

“I wonder how many times I can make you come for me?” Light swirled his tongue around the head, following the ridge before sucking it into his mouth. The taste of precum was so sensual and raw, making him lick over the slit to get more. He bobbed on it a few times, a little deeper each time to get used to the feel of something pushing against his throat. Light’s arms hooked underneath Ryuzaki’s legs and held them up as he slid all the way down, taking it as far as he could. Holding back his gag reflex took some effort but mind over matter, he was going to suck this cock.

 

 

“How many times were you _planning_ on?” L asked breathlessly, moaning helplessly and clutching the counter once more as Asahi took him deep into his mouth. _Holy shit!_ Legs quivering with the effort not to clench around Asahi’s shoulders, L desperately wished he had thought to grab some of the cake pops, or at the very least, that one of his hands were free. The need to lick or suck on something (his fingers, candy... Asahi’s cock...) as an additional stimulus to his pleasure was nearly overwhelming.

 

Light closed his eyes and hummed around Ryuzaki, fingernails digging into his thighs slightly. The man’s breathless words and moans were getting him so excited he couldn’t help but hump against the counter. But he also wanted to _see_ everything, watch Ryuzaki watching him so closely. _So_ closely that Light wondered if perhaps he was a voyeur too, and what else he might like to watch. He suddenly wished he had a better camera on his phone, but then thought it was unlikely Ryuzaki would let him take any pictures anyway.

 

“If you keep going like that, I’m not going to last long, Asahi,” L gasped. _He really seems to like sucking my cock_ , L thought dazedly, the scrape of fingernails and the vibration from Asahi’s mouth as he hummed around his cock dragging another low moan from him as he watched the teen taking his own pleasure. Watching was _almost_ as good as it would have been to feel it intimately.

 

Light slowed down, letting Ryuzaki’s cock slide from his mouth to fall back to his stomach with an obscene wet slap. Light shifted to stroke him instead, grinning, “You don’t have to hold back, like you said, we’ve got all night. Unless you’re one and done, then...” Being 18 had its perks, not the least of which was stamina and short refractory periods, and Ryuzaki wasn’t much older so Light wasn’t particularly worried despite his tease. He planned on completely wearing the man out if he got his chance.

 

L couldn’t help but feel slightly disappointed when that warm, wet mouth pulled off him. Fingers curled around him and began to stroke, and he slumped a little against his hands, toes curling against Asahi’s back from the stimulation. The teasing comment made L scowl a bit, and he snorted, murmuring bemusedly, “ _Asahi.._.”

 

Light flicked his eyes up momentarily, licking lower over his sack and sucking the sensitive skin. _I wonder what else he’ll let me get away with now that I’m down here._ But his tongue kept going lower, stroking Ryuzaki to distract him (if that was possible) as he licked a slow line between his cheeks. “Do you like that, _slut_ ?” He smiled innocently and did it again, circling around his entrance this time.

 

Anything L might have said was cut off with another moan when Asahi licked lower, and the feeling of that warm tongue licking slowly against his entrance was unexpected and sensual enough that he couldn’t help but squirm. His head fell back again, lips parting to let out a drawn-out _‘ahhh’_ of pleasure as he shifted his hips forward and spread his legs wider to give Asahi free reign to do whatever he wanted. “ _Shit_ ,” he breathed, a spike of arousal going through him when Asahi used his own words against him. “ _Yes, please_ , do that again!” No, he definitely wasn’t going to last much longer with Asahi doing _that_.

 

Light couldn’t take too much more waiting to get something for himself, he was enjoying this but was getting frustrated with just the wall. _Better get him off, and make it good._ He sped up his strokes, sliding fast now on the saliva that still coated Ryuzaki, and using a twisting motion now. He licked once more, gritting his teeth as he pressed himself hard into the wall. “Come on, show me what a whore you are.” He licked back down Ryuzaki’s thigh and bit it hard, not waiting for the man to pull away before plunging his tongue inside him and working him open as he stroked. His whole face was wet and sloppy by now but he didn’t care, just pointed his tongue and pushed as deep as he could.

 

L wasn’t sure he could have responded coherently to that even if he _wanted_ to, hearing Asahi call him ‘slut’ and ‘whore’ was surprisingly _hot_. Feeling the teen’s teeth sink into his thigh left him stunned, and he found himself thinking dazedly, _I didn’t know I’d like THAT, add another one to my list._ Whatever the case, it was apparent now that Asahi was intent on getting him off, not that _he_ was complaining, because the way the teen was working him open with his tongue had him almost _writhing_ from the stimulation, nearly losing his grip on the counter and slipping. He didn’t bother to hold back the desperate, needy sounds now, guessing that Asahi probably _liked_ hearing them and too far gone to really feel self-conscious about broadcasting his building pleasure.

 

Light half-wished he had another hand or another angle to test whether Ryuzaki really _did_ like asphyxiation, but what was the fun of that when he couldn’t even see the results. And he definitely planned on conducting that experiment later. He could feel Ryuzaki trembling around him, hoped he was close, hoped it would be good. He was thinking of the man’s mouth on him now, of how it would feel to fuck the place his tongue was licking inside. _Come on, show me._

 

L was so lost in the overwhelming sensations that he couldn’t pinpoint what put him over the edge, but when it started, he found himself clenching against Asahi, toes curling tightly into thin air (and digging into Asahi’s shoulder, _oops_ ), losing his grip on the counter and slumping back _hard_ against his elbows. His body spasmed, cock twitching as L came with a harsh cry, spurting all over his stomach and Asahi’s hand. It took him a long, trembling moment to come down from his orgasm, but when he finally did, he raised his head with a dazed, blissed-out expression on his face, smiling widely at the teen. “Was I a good slut, then?” he asked, voice cracking a little as he let his gaze wander downwards, taking in Asahi’s current state. He rather hoped he could return the favor.

 

Light couldn’t see as much as he wanted given where his face was planted, but he could hear and feel more than enough. Ryuzaki sounded so desperately _hot_ that he moaned against him too as his cock jerked in his hand, leaning it towards him so he could see that part at least. _Goddamn._ He gradually removed his tongue from inside the man, feeling deliciously filthy for getting a stranger off like this. It felt thrilling, transgressive but not necessarily dangerous because he oddly trusted Ryuzaki although he had no reason to. _Or, in this context I do._

 

His sticky fingers uncurled from around Ryuzaki and he let the man’s legs slide down from his shoulders as he leaned back up. Ryuzaki was flushed and covered in cum, the picture of debasement. Light had to blink a couple times before it registered what he’d said, his eyes finally coming alive with mischief. “Oh you were an _excellent_ slut.” He brought his fingers to Ryuzaki’s mouth, running his thumb over his bottom lip like he’d seen him do multiple times since they met. “And are you going to clean up your mess too?” He grinned, “Don’t worry, you can have a cake pop to kill the taste, as long as I get one too.” Light wanted to watch that mouth, get a preview to inflame his lust even more than it was.

 

 _Oh, finally._ A shiver ran through L’s body at the praise, and when Asahi brought his fingers up to his mouth, he let out a soft huff of laughter before immediately darting his tongue out to lick at the teen’s thumb. “Of course,” he murmured, bringing one hand up to grasp Asahi’s wrist, drawing each sticky finger into his mouth one at a time to painstakingly suck every drop away, eyes never once leaving Asahi’s as he did. He had to snicker around the teen’s thumb when he offered one of the cake pops to ‘kill the taste’. _Should I tell him that I actually like the taste?_

 

“Do you promise?” L asked, letting Asahi’s thumb slip out of his mouth with a soft, obscene sucking sound. “What about you, though, don’t you want to come _first?_ Make that a reward?” L let his gaze wander down again, taking in the sight of the teen’s… impressive erection. _Ohhh, he’s bigger than me,_ L thought, licking his lips and grinning wide in anticipation. He couldn’t wait to get _that_ in his mouth.

 

Light watched hungrily as Ryuzaki sucked each finger clean, marveling both at his thoroughness and at the plush sensation of his mouth and tongue. _I want that mouth on me now, fuck he’s going to be good at it isn’t he…_ Light had offered the cake pop as an incentive to get him to do what he wanted, but it seemed it wasn’t needed here. Especially when Ryuzaki’s eyes wandered lower over his naked body, settling to stare at his own apparent need. The appreciative look in his eyes stroked Light’s ego of course, but he was shocked when Ryuzaki said he’d rather have _that_ as a reward.

 

He laughed softly, pulling his fingers away reluctantly, “Well I was trying to sate your sweet tooth, but if I don’t need that to keep your interest…” Light felt so high on this situation, almost drunk on adrenaline and desire that it was hard to focus on what he should do or say.

 

L had to admit to himself that seeing the naked hunger in Asahi’s eyes as he had licked his fingers clean had been satisfying in a way he hadn’t expected… but it was even more satisfying to hear his admission about using cake as bribery. _Well, I DID say on my profile that I love cake, and he DID buy me every pop in the cafe,_ he thought, amused by that little detail. “Don’t get me wrong, I _definitely_ want one later,” he said, voice low as he finally pushed himself up to sit (mostly) straight. “But I…”

 

Light gave a genuine smile, his voice lower and not joking this time, “You don’t have to do it just to return the favor, but if you want to I’m sure as _hell_ not going to stop you.” He leaned in closer, wrapping his arms around Ryuzaki and sliding him near. “But first…” He’d felt an overwhelming urge to kiss him since seeing him climax at Light’s hands, and he smoothed Ryuzaki’s hair away as he finally was able to again. His hair was wild but so soft, and an image flashed in his mind of playing with it in bed later or washing it in the shower together. It was bittersweet because those things weren’t meant for him to have.

 

Coughing a little, L’s gaze slid to the side, face flushing brighter for a moment at Asahi’s words before he looked back up into his eyes. Those gorgeous, warm eyes. _Wow._ As Asahi wrapped his arms around him, L brought his arms up to wrap around the teen’s waist as he whispered, “It’s not _just_ about returning the favor, though that is part of it. I _really_ want to do it.” Anything else he might have been about to say was cut off when Asahi pulled him close and kissed him, and even though it was quite enjoyable, something about it changed halfway through. Some minute change in the press of Asahi’s lips, a slight tightening of his fingers in L’s hair. All of a sudden, it felt… different.

 

Light leaned back again, running his fingertips up and down Ryuzaki’s back softly and just looking into grey eyes. He couldn’t get too greedy and do something foolish like fall for someone, but for the first time ever Light Yagami was jealous of other people who could.

 

L pulled back at almost the same time Asahi did, tilting his head curiously as they stared at each other, trying to work out what had changed. _Should I ask what that was? Is it a happy change, or a sad one? I can’t tell yet._ The way Asahi’s fingers were stroking against his back was very pleasant and distracting, and he shivered at the sensation before smiling softly.

 

“Not that I have much experience, but you seem to be an _amazing_ kisser,” he offered, leaning in to press a brief kiss to the teen’s lips. “I very much enjoy kissing you, anyway.”

 

Light snapped back from his thoughts at the praise, his pleasure at it apparent on his face. “I enjoy kissing you too.” He blushed slightly at how much that was true, and true for the first time he’d ever kissed anyone. He’d been worried that it would come off as mechanical out of habit of having to kiss Misa on occasion, so it was a relief it didn’t. “In fact, I’m having a hard time keeping my hands off of you.” _Like that hadn’t been apparent from the moment we stepped into that elevator._ He laughed with embarrassment because Ryuzaki couldn’t really understand how rare this moment was for him. To actually feel mutual attraction for someone was so new he was reeling; until now he’d only been Tantalus, watching others eat the fruit always out of his grasp. Now that he had it, the feast that would disappear in the morning, each bite was precious. _Stop it, stop stop stop. You’re Kira, and your dream is all you need. Indulge yourself, live in the now, but remember who you are._

 

L thought to himself, _Oh, I’ve noticed_ , squirming in self conscious pleasure at Asahi’s comment. He hadn’t been able to keep his hands off of _him_ , either, and it was an unexpected feeling. L honestly wasn’t sure how he would have reacted to Asahi if the teen was just a pretty face, or if he would have gotten bored well before they got to this point. He wasn’t any stranger to getting crushes on beautiful people, but those crushes tended to fade away quickly either from the lack of physical interaction, or finding out the other person was extremely vapid. _No, I probably wouldn’t be so attracted to him if he was just a pretty face. It’s his intelligence that made this worth it, his looks are just an added bonus to this._ A curious smile spread across his lips at Asahi’s embarrassed laugh. _What does he have to be embarrassed about? What is he thinking about? It can’t be my boldness, he’s been more than bold enough up to now._

 

“Yes, well, I have a very serious question for you, now.” L waited until he had Asahi’s full attention again before grinning. “Should I get on my knees and blow you right _here_ , or do you want to move somewhere a bit more comfortable?”

 

Light’s pupils widened when Ryuzaki posed his ‘serious question,’ all melancholy evaporating as he reached to stroke himself at those words. He’d never gotten a blowjob before-- hell, no one had ever even touched him before. He breathed out excitedly, “Knees…” _Fuck I want to see him on his knees for me._ He backed away a few paces, smiling again but with a challenging look in his eyes. Light whispered, “Will you crawl to me too?” He leaned back against the opposite wall, stroking languidly with slightly parted lips, waiting to see what Ryuzaki would do.

 

When Asahi finally gave him his answer, L found himself squirming again, this time in anticipation, and as the teen backed away, he slid down off the counter, steadying himself against it before taking a step towards him. “You want me to crawl to you, do you?” _Like a supplicant? Well, I do remember thinking vaguely earlier about what it would be like to worship him_. L took another step forward before smiling and lowering himself to his hands and knees, prowling forward as he stared up at Asahi. “Do you like that? The idea of seeing someone on their knees before you?”

 

Light’s eyes lidded in arousal as he watched Ryuzaki crawl towards him, unconsciously stroking himself faster. His breathing sped, chest rising and falling as he nodded seriously, “Yes…” Actually, it was nearly crushing how much he liked it, unable to elaborate or to take his eyes off the man beneath him on the floor.

 

L reached out when he got to the teen, trailing the fingers of one hand over Asahi’s knee and up one perfectly formed thigh before scraping his nails back down lightly. After a moment, he repeated the gesture with his other hand as he settled comfortably back on his haunches, crouching in front of Asahi and watching to see what he would do, licking his parted lips in anticipation. “Or did you just want to see if I would do it?” L whispered.

 

Light flinched slightly when Ryuzaki touched him, a soft gasp passing his lips to feel nails scraping down his skin. A low whisper as his eyes widened at Ryuzaki’s question, “Both. But mostly…” He pointed his cock down, trailing it across Ryuzaki’s cheek and leaving a streak of wetness behind. “...mostly I just wanted to see if you would.” Light had always thought he’d be much too embarrassed or inhibited to ever ask for what he wanted if a situation like this arose, but he surprisingly didn’t feel ashamed.

 

As L crouched in front of Asahi, watching the teen nearly fall apart just at the sight of him, at the idle things he was doing, he had to giggle breathlessly to himself. Up until now, despite always wanting to try it, he had always seen giving a blow job to someone else as something debasing, _demeaning_ . But that wasn’t really the case, was it? There was something powerful about it, that it could reduce a man to nearly begging for it. Hell, _he_ had been the one begging for it not minutes ago. A soft huff left him and then he was sucking in a harsh breath at the thrilling sensation of that beautiful cock sliding wetly across his cheek.

 

Light brought the tip of his cock to Ryuzaki’s mouth, letting it slide across his bottom lip as he cupped the man’s face with his free hand. “What else will you do for me if I asked?” He was teasing himself as much as Ryuzaki here, but this sight was so beautiful, nearly straight out of a fantasy for him, and he wanted to savor it. He stroked Ryuzaki’s cheek, pressing his thumb into that warm mouth first. “Your mouth is so beautiful.” Light smiled down at him, pushing his thumb down gently to open his mouth a little wider so he could see his tongue. Grinning wider now, “Makes me want to wreck it.” He didn’t mean it _literally_ , Light didn’t have any desire to actually hurt him. But he was so achingly hard by now, he knew when he got in there all bets would be off.

 

When Asahi brought himself up to his mouth, the slide of him over L’s lips pulled a moan from him, and he ran his tongue over the tip lightly, getting only a taste before the teen pulled himself away. _Oh Jesus_.

  
  
“I can’t answer that until you _ask_ me,” L said, voice lightly petulant as he leaned closer, letting out another low moan when the teen instead pressed his thumb in. _That’s not what I want in my mouth. Tease._ He was about to playfully nip at Asahi’s thumb when the teen said _that_ , and his eyes went wide as he stared up at him. His long fingers stroked up and down Asahi’s thighs and hips, aching to just take him in hand and swallow him down, but also wanting to prolong the anticipation of this moment. The gentle pressure on his tongue sent a thrill through him, and he squeezed his eyes shut tightly as he let out a sighing whine around Asahi’s thumb, taking advantage of the moment to close his lips around him and _suck_. He could feel himself getting hard again just from the eroticism of the moment.

 

His eyes flew open again when Asahi said he wanted to wreck his mouth. _You’re going to wreck ME if you keep talking like that, Jesus, Asahi_. He tugged the digit from his mouth and smiled up at Asahi, eyes falling half shut as he said silkily, “Don’t say things like that to me unless you really mean it. I might just _believe_ you.” Before Asahi could say anything else to tease them, L shoved his hand away slightly and reached out to grip his cock firmly, pressing the flat of his tongue against the head and lapping up the precum. It was a little more salty than his usual tastes, but he really didn’t care right then. He gazed up at Asahi through his hair and his smile spread into something obscene as he licked a stripe up the underside of the teen’s cock and took him in as far as he could go without preamble, hissing in discomfort when he hit the back of his throat. _Shit, he’s so BIG. So much for my big mouth._

  
  
“And what if I _do_ mean---” Light’s words bled into a low moan as Ryuzaki took the initiative, and finally _finally_ that mouth was on him at last, sending a shock of pleasure through him he’d never gotten from his hand. Oh god… Everything he was about to say faded like a hazy background, especially because of the look on Ryuzaki’s face as he gazed up at him. Communicating that maybe he was every bit as wild as Light wanted him to be, and masks like stoicism and perfection didn’t matter here when nobody else was watching. Light’s fingers slid from the man’s cheek to clench tightly in his hair when he engulfed him, a broken-sounding cry slipping out before he could yank it back. “F-fuck…” He bit his lip and forced himself to release his grip when he heard the man hiss, balling his fist at his side so he wouldn’t interfere. Light knew it was Ryuzaki’s first time doing this too so didn’t want to rush him, but rather let him get used to the same strange and erotic feelings he’d had to a moment earlier.

 

Pulling off, L panted and stroked him. “I wonder if I can fit all of you in my mouth when I get this right,” he laughed, staring up at the teen.

 

Panting, “You’re...doing fine. That feels so amazing.” Light smiled shakily, slumping back a little on the wall to support himself. If it was feeling this good already, what was going to happen when Ryuzaki did ‘get it right’? _And when he does take it all, if he can, will I be able to hold back again?_ His eyes closed for a moment as Ryuzaki started to stroke him, just reveling in the pleasurable sensations of a hand caused by _definitely not me_. Light wanted Ryuzaki’s mouth back on him though, and he squirmed against the wall, looking back down at the man on his knees and waiting for its return.

 

“Oh? It did?” L blinked, and looked down for a moment with a soft smile on his face, cheeks pink from the praise, and perhaps a little from the compliment as well. _I tried to take too much at once. Definitely going to have to change my technique, but if he liked it... Heh, good thing I’m a fast learner._ He shuffled closer, leaning in to press soft, nipping kisses to Asahi’s hips and stomach as he continued to stroke him, tongue darting out to tease over his skin before returning to his cock. This time, he took a little more time to _tease_ , licking up one side and then the other as he thumbed over the slit, spreading the precum around. “So,” he asked breathlessly, licking over the head. “This is good?”

 

Light watched wide-eyed, the obvious teasing was delicious torture and he was eating up all of it. Nodding down at Ryuzaki, “Oh yeah. _Real_ good.” He was pretty used to holding back, delaying it for a better payoff during his solo sessions. But this was something else and he wondered how long he could. _I’m going to come so hard when it finally happens. I hope he’s ready for that._

 

L lapped at the slit again, giving Asahi a grin before wrapping his lips around the head of his cock and suckling. The reaction he got spurred him on, and after a moment, L reached both hands around to grip Asahi’s ass and took him in further, beginning to bob his head, taking him further and further each time with soft little sounds of pleasure.

 

Light shuddered against the wall, moaning louder than he meant to when Ryuzaki sucked the tip. _Oh fuck, I hope the walls are thick._ He clamped a hand over his mouth, banging his head back against the wall softly when Ryuzaki grabbed him and started taking him deeper. Light panted behind his hand, eventually pulling it away and trailing it over his chest. He was trying to distract his hands, keep them busy and out of Ryuzaki’s hair. Light didn’t have an addictive personality but he could see getting hooked on this, he wanted more and more of this tension coiling in his gut, of being out of control of his pleasure if not the situation.

 

 _Oh_ , seeing the way Asahi was coming undone because of him was a _delicious_ feeling, and L couldn’t help but let out a low, muffled laugh around his cock. Now he knew what to expect, it wasn’t uncomfortable like the first time, which meant that he noticed the way Asahi seemed to be trying to find something to do with his hands. _Didn’t he have them in my hair earlier? I liked that_.

 

Light’s hips moved forward of their own accord, as the urge to thrust, to fuck that warm wet space was so overwhelming. He looked down and met Ryuzaki’s eyes, hoping that hadn’t gagged or hurt him, because he wanted badly to do it again. _And again, and again._

 

L was about to pull off to bring it up when Asahi thrust into his mouth, and the motion and the sensation took his breath away. _Oh my GOD. He_ pulled off for a moment, panting to catch his breath, and stared up at Asahi, lips parted and eyes dazed before breathing, “Asahi. If you want to _fuck my mouth_ , you don’t have to hold back on _my_ account. Do what you want. I _want_ you to do it.” Keeping his eyes on the teen’s face, L smiled and then leaned in to swallow him down as much as he could, hollowing his cheeks and sucking _hard_ , humming in satisfaction. _PLEASE do it._

 

 _Do what you want._ _That’s it._ That was all Light needed to hear, an icepick in the dam that had held _him_ back, kept him polite, kept him calm, kept him, kept him, kept him….But the fissure was unstoppable now, starting as a shudder that went through his body as Ryuzaki sucked deeper, harder than before, and coming out as a laugh of _yes_. The fingers of both his hands threaded into Ryuzaki’s hair and pulled tightly, wrenching his face off of him and holding his mouth just slightly away from his cock. Light looked down for a moment, whispering, “Then I will.” He tightened his grip so he had complete control of the movement of Ryuzaki’s head, bringing it closer slowly, so slowly until he slid into plush warmth once more. He held the man’s gaze as he kept going, panting hard down at him and grinning until he hit the back of Ryuzaki’s throat with a gasping moan. Light stayed just like that despite wanting to move, watching the expression in the man’s eyes as he was completely in Light’s power. _And that is the ultimate high for me, I know that now._

 

The feeling of fingers in his hair, the way Asahi wrenched him back, and the way he just _stared_ down at him was so unexpected that L couldn’t help but gasp, panting as he stared back. _Oh holy Jesus, YES._ His fingers clenched against the teen’s ass as he licked his lips and left them parted, wide gaze darting between Asahi’s face and his erection, wordlessly begging for him to just _do it_. The suspense of not knowing exactly what Asahi was going to _do_ was killing him and turning him on in equal measure, and when the teen _finally_ guided his mouth back down on his cock, torturously slow even for _him_ , L found himself moaning around him. His fingers dug in a little more and then unclenched, eyes fluttering partially closed from the arousing high of having his mouth so _full. Surely this can’t be all you want, Asah-_

 

Light pulled back and snapped forward again, bringing Ryuzaki’s head to meet his thrust, moving his cock against his tongue a few times before plunging deep again. He was nearly hunched over now, bending to watch this as closely as possible, each heaving breath coming out half a moan as he found a steady rhythm. It felt so filthy to be using someone like this but also so intimate, to be the director and the receiver, edging himself on that soft tongue when he wanted it, pressing hard when he needed more.

 

That first sudden thrust into L’s mouth was sharp enough that it brought tears to his eyes, stinging the back of his throat and leaving him reeling, his harsh moan muffled by Asahi’s cock. _SHIT. This is more like it,_ he thought dazedly to himself, his own hips bucking into thin air as he clutched the teen’s hips. If he hadn’t been so turned on by what Asahi was doing, the obscene sounds he was making as Asahi fucked his mouth would have been embarrassing, but as it was…

 

Light’s voice was low as he rasped, “Hit me if you want me to stop.” Panting through his teeth, seeing nothing in the world but wide grey eyes and electric pleasure. “And scratch the fuck out of me if you don’t.”

 

As L stared wide-eyed up at Asahi, trying to remember to breath through his nose, he huffed out an amused breath and raked his nails _hard_ from Asahi’s hips down his thighs, squirming from the overwhelming sensations. _If he doesn’t fuck me six ways from Sunday after this, I am going to kick his ass. FUCK, please let me keep him._

 

Light’s eyes were alive and shining as Ryuzaki _took it,_ took everything, every inch, every thrust. And the way he moaned around his cock, sending tantalizing vibrations straight to his core to mix with the most intense feelings Light had ever had. “YES...this...this is what I wanted!” He straightened his back and thrust deep when Ryuzaki scratched him hard just like he’d demanded, hoping it would leave marks only he’d know were there as evidence of this night. But the slight pain only heightened all of it, making him desperate for release now as he moved Ryuzaki’s head faster. Staring open-mouthed into his eyes he whispered, “I’m coming.” It wasn’t a perfect warning because the suddenness of his orgasm surprised Light too, and he moaned, “Ryuzaki…” as he shot again and again, cock jerking between the man’s swollen lips as he flooded his mouth.

 

Even if he’d tried, L couldn’t have stopped the ragged, choking moan he let out as Asahi shot into his mouth, desperately trying to swallow all of it down. There was so _much_ , he could feel it leaking out of his mouth, dribbling down his chin when he couldn’t swallow fast enough. _His eyes. Holy shit, he looked, LOOKS so ALIVE._ And the way he had said his name? Even if it was his fake name... the emotion in his voice made L’s heart clench, and his body jerk along with it, toes curling from the intensity of a second orgasm.

 

Light pumped through it, wringing every last ounce of pleasure he could from it, his eyelids heavy and muscles completely relaxing in the aftermath. His fingers unclenched from Ryuzaki’s hair and he slid from his mouth, slumping down the wall to his own knees as they finally gave way. Light brought his hand to his face, ghosting over it as he murmured, “Oh fuck…” He felt boneless, floating and high as if he’d just mainlined some drug. He leaned his head back against the wall, eyes closed for a moment as he just smiled and laughed to himself in disbelief. “I didn’t even know it was possible to feel that good. Damn.”

 

When Asahi finally released him to slide down to his knees in front of him, L could only stare in wonder as he slumped forward onto all fours, quivering in shock and just as euphoric. Belatedly, he wiped the come off of his chin, feeling a little self-conscious now.

 

Light was still trying to catch his breath, “Thank you.” He lifted his eyes to Ryuzaki, gently pulling the man onto his lap and sitting properly. “Are you ok?” Light knew he’d been a little rough, but it was mostly due to Ryuzaki’s encouragement that he had let himself go. “That was incredible.” He tilted his head and kissed Ryuzaki very softly in case his mouth was sore. “I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

 

The words ‘ _You are so beautiful’_ , were on the tip of L’s tongue, but his throat hurt quite a bit from the... _strenuous_ use it had been put to, and he didn’t want to risk it yet. _Incredible._ It was enough to have Asahi pulling him into his lap, arms around him, and he shivered as he settled into the teen’s arms contentedly, letting his praise wash over him as he smiled. _I didn’t know, either. Please let me keep you._

 

It finally registered in L’s mind that Asahi had asked him a question, and when he lifted his gaze to his, Asahi kissed him, surprisingly gentle now that he’d taken his pleasure. The odd juxtaposition made L smile, and he took a chance and said in a soft rasp, “Throat hurts.” He reached up to stroke at Asahi’s cheek, kissing him back just as gently before pulling back and saying in a stronger voice, “Worth it.” Swallowing, he added, “You’re _beautiful_.”

  
  
And if it weren’t for the fact he didn’t want to move, L would have been going to find some water or something by now, he was absolutely parched.


	5. Give Me Something Real

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Light drops a truth bomb in the shower, and it throws L into a mini crisis on whether or not he should take a risk and open up a little more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case our readers haven't already seen the addition to the note in chapter one, this story is AU, and the timeline has been altered. Light meets Misa much earlier, and the surveillance and the To-Oh entrance exams haven't happened _yet_ , and are happening much later than in canon to avoid certain... _inconveniences_. In-story, it is partway through March, and the entrance exams are a week away. The surveillance _will_ still be happening. Thank you all so much for reading!

Light leaned into Ryuzaki’s touch on his cheek, feeling slightly guilty now but also so physically content. He licked at a spot of come on the man’s face that he missed, giggling softly at the praise. “I can’t believe you came again and like that, it was so incredibly hot.” _Ryuzaki must have not been joking when he said he really wanted me to do that._ “Watching your face...god, you have no idea what that did to me.” Light laughed softly, squeezing him in his arms. “Although I guess you do.”

 

He could hear that Ryuzaki’s voice was rough, knowing that water had to be needed. “Wait just a moment. I’ll get you something.” Light slid him to the side off his lap, standing up on slightly shaky legs and waiting a few seconds until the dizziness he felt wore off. He walked into the small kitchen and opened up the fridge, thankful they were staying in a place nice enough to keep it well stocked. He grabbed a couple bottles of water, stopping to reach into the treats bag for a box of the wrapped up cake pops. _Hopefully sugar will help too._

 

L’s eyes widened slightly, smiling sheepishly when Asahi brought _that_ up. Honestly, he’d been surprised by it as well, he hadn’t managed to do something like that since he was a teenager. _And I’m going to keep that to myself, for now, I think._ Nevertheless, he could feel a strange desire to share _something_ intimate with this incredible teen, something small, that no-one (not even Watari) knew about him. They’d already swapped bodily fluids, and Asahi was being so kind and caring towards him… As Asahi wandered over to the fridge, L sighed, pulling his knees up to his chest as he shivered slightly in the chill room. _Why do I already feel so close to him? We literally just met, and this is all very… sudden._

 

Light plopped back down in front of Ryuzaki, opening the water and handing it to him. “Here, drink all of this. I didn’t really mean it _literally_ when I said I wanted to dehydrate you.” Light unwrapped a cake pop too but held it back with a little smile. “Water first, _then_ cake pop.” It was odd how he felt a twinge of a desire to take care of Ryuzaki, this complete stranger. But he supposed it was because of whatever incredible chemistry they seemed to share. Light didn’t really want to admit it was there given the complications that would emerge from it, but he knew it, felt it. _Now that I’ve found someone like him, can I really just walk away?_ He didn’t want to think about that now. The night was still young, and so were they.

 

Pouting, L took the water bottle instead of the cake pop he reached for, trying to hide his smile as he rasped out a grumpy, “ _Fine._ ” Downing the bottle took surprisingly little time, and he stuck his tongue out and leaned forward to snatch the cake pop happily. “Are you happy now, Asahi?” Well, at least his voice sounded marginally better, even if his throat was still sore. _Still worth it._ “Thank you. For everything,” he added, voice soft and sincere as he reached to curl his fingers affectionately around the teen’s wrist, stroking idly against his skin before leaning in to press a soft kiss to Asahi’s mouth.

 

Light laughed at the question of whether he was happy, knowing it was asked sarcastically about having to drink the water first. But the truth was that Light did feel overwhelmingly happy right now, so he gave a non-sarcastic answer as he smiled down at Ryuzaki’s hand on his wrist. “Yes, I am actually. I feel very happy that I met you, and that you decided to take a chance with me tonight.” _That probably sounded like a silly teenager crush thing to say, but oh well._ His smile only widened as Ryuzaki leaned in to kiss him, feeling like he could never get enough of this.

 

  
The fact that Asahi had given him an _actual_ answer to his question (and what an answer, _phew!_ ) made L’s heart skip a beat, and he pulled back to look at him, a smile on his lips and a curious tilt to his head as he said slowly, “I don’t know about you, but I’m getting a little cold… and I think we should probably find somewhere to hang our clothes up so they’ll be dry by morning.” Licking his lips, he glanced down at himself, grimacing at how… messy he had become. “And I, at least, might need to shower before we do anything else. As… amazing as that was… I feel sweaty and disgusting right now.” _I hope you’ll join me there. Then neither of us will have to wait in bed for the other._

 

Light nodded when Ryuzaki mentioned he was cold, standing up and holding a hand down to help him up. “Good idea. I know I could use a shower too.” He pulled Ryuzaki up, but held him at arm's length a moment so he could get a good look at how wrecked he looked, mussed and flushed and sticky with cum. “Although how you look right now…” He let out a low whistle, giving him a devious look when Light met his eyes.

 

As trite as it sounded in his head, L knew he must look over the moon as Asahi helped him up. The teen’s scrutiny, on the other hand, sent a shiver through him, and L hastily stuffed the cake pop into his mouth with a blush, trying not to let on how _much_ he liked the attention. _Surely I can’t look THAT good, I don’t have the kind of looks you have._

 

Light turned to pick up their damp clothes, draping them over the backs of the chairs in the breakfast bar. “There, good enough.” He took Ryuzaki’s hand and headed into the bathroom, leaning into the shower to turn it on. There were an array of fancy soaps, lotions, oils, etc. lined up on the counter and he grabbed a few of them.

 

Chewing on the pop, L took an experimental step forward, relieved when he wasn’t excessively wobbly, and smiled around the treat in his mouth when Asahi came back to grab his hand. _Does his comment about being happy mean he might change his mind about not dating? I don’t think I can let him go after tonight._ The stick went right into the garbage as they got into the bathroom, and L looked around the room, impressed. Swallowing, he rasped, “This… is probably the most luxurious bathroom I’ve ever been in.” _Must give new specs to Watari to give to the builders. I need one like this._

 

Catching sight of himself in the mirror made Light pause, “Holy shit.” Long red scratches extended down his hips and thighs, and it looked so primal and erotic, like Ryuzaki had claimed him or something. He hummed low as he traced them, giving Ryuzaki a sultry look behind him in the mirror. “I hope you do the same thing to my back later.”

 

Asahi’s exclamation made L turn around to look at him, and a thrill of pride went through him to see the teen examining the scratches he’d left. “Oh… and here I was going to apologize for those.” He stepped up behind Asahi, pressing against his back and resting his chin on the teen’s shoulder as his arms went around his waist, smiling at the image they made. “I think I’d like giving you a matching set. You look _incredible_ all marked up.” His gaze slid to Asahi’s, locking together in the mirror. “But only if you promise to mark me up, too.”

 

Light smiled tightly in the mirror, already feeling himself getting aroused again thinking about all the ways he wanted to ‘mark up’ Ryuzaki. “No problem with _that_.” _I want to claim him too, don’t I? I want him to never forget me now._ He leaned back slightly against Ryuzaki’s chest, liking the sensation of skin pressed to skin. “But we better get in the shower now or that will happen sooner rather than later.”

 

L chuckled as he followed Asahi into the shower. Truthfully, he usually preferred baths to showers, but _this?_ This he could get used to. _I’m definitely going to make this shower set up a requirement for the new building._ “I don’t care when it happens, so long as it’s _good_ , Asahi. I trust you not to let me down,” he said.

 

Light turned around and pressed a quick kiss to Ryuzaki’s neck, stepping into the steamy shower and under the spray. It was one of the fancier kinds, with multiple sprays coming from different directions. Sighing as the warm water banished the lingering chill of the rain, “Oh this was an excellent idea. Must be nice to live like this every day.” He wet his hair and body, opening a hotel soap and rubbing it across his chest. Even the scent of the soap was expensive and luxurious, just like the rest of this place. “Come here and let me wash you, you filthy man.” Light grinned and lathered his hands, turning to run his soapy fingers down Ryuzaki’s arms and back.

 

L closed his eyes and just luxuriated in the feel of hot water sluicing over him. It felt _particularly_ good on his back, which was perpetually sore around his shoulders due to his poor posture. _Oh my god._ “When I get my own place, I need a shower like this,” he mumbled, drifting towards Asahi and letting him soap him up. Smiling up at the teen, he added, “Then maybe you can come visit. As long as you aren’t visiting _just_ for my fancy shower.” He reached for the soap, lathering up his own hands and pressing in close against Asahi as he ran his hands up and down the teen’s back.

 

It felt both odd and comfortable, being so domestic and open with someone Light barely knew. Ryuzaki made it so easy though, easy to forget they’d only just met. Light’s curious, inquisitive nature made him want to ask questions and know him, who he was, what kind of work he did, what he did for fun. Softly, “Will you get angry if I ask you things about yourself? Is that off limits?” It had seemed a terrible idea to do that before; since they’d probably never see each other again it hardly mattered. But Light almost needed to know, now that he felt on the fence about everything he’d protested about before. _Can’t I have a little happiness too? One day I’ll be…_ A small frown crossed his face, but only briefly before shoving those thoughts aside. He’d accepted that he’d one day be a martyr for his dream, accepted it with the knowledge that no would else would do it, could do it. _So isn’t it wrong to fall for someone and let them fall for me? It’s selfish. Selfish to know him any longer than tonight._ “I guess that’s probably a bad idea, huh…”

 

At that soft question, L slowed his motions, gaze dropping to study Asahi’s chest as his hands drifted down to rest at the small of his back. Should he allow it? He couldn’t be _entirely_ truthful, of course, but he could probably share _some_ things, depending on what Asahi wanted to know. And if he was going to ask Asahi to stick around, which he _definitely_ wanted to, extending his trust was imperative. _Maybe I could even… invite him to join the task force, if he shows any interest. He’s more than smart enough… definitely more intelligent than Matsuda. From what little I’ve already seen, he and I seem to think along the same paths, and he might be able to see things I wouldn’t think of. Then I would have a legitimate excuse to continue seeing him, and if the others object, I can just point out that I’ve been doing the same thing since I was younger than Asahi._ Chewing on his lip thoughtfully, L finally raised his gaze back to Asahi’s, eyes crinkling at the corners with the beginnings of a smile until he saw the brief frown flicker across the teen’s face. “What? Why is it a bad idea? I know I was cagey about sharing before, but…”

 

Light felt slightly panicked that Ryuzaki had noticed something was wrong, but he should have known by now. _He’s so perceptive, and that makes it even more of a bad idea. Letting someone close and if he found out, he’d hate me. That would kill me if I really fell for him._ “I guess it isn’t, but like I said I’m not really looking to date.” He tried to recover, turning away and into the spray to shampoo his hair now. Fingers dug harder into his scalp than they needed to, but he couldn’t scrub away the frustration of wanting something he obviously couldn’t have. He didn’t want to lie, Ryuzaki deserved an honest answer. “I think it’s more myself I’m worried about. You like me now, but..” Light broke off to soft anxious laughter, closing his eyes as he rinsed the suds from his hair. “You wouldn’t, if you really knew me.”

 

Light watched the soap suds circle the drain and felt very insignificant, knowing his own life would slip away just as easily one day and if it went well, no one would ever know or remember him as Kira. “I can’t...I’m not in a place I could get attached to people or let them get attached to me.” _And I’ll never be in that place._ He turned around, trying to put on a brave face so they could just go on with their night and have the fun they both wanted. Smiling softly, “And I’m worried I _could_ get attached to you.” _The longer I’m with you the more certain I am I would._ “So I’m just trying to spare you, both of us. I’d rather you remembered me like this.” He lifted Ryuzaki’s chin, pressing a kiss to his lips to soften his words. But it was the wrong thing to do, for him, for Light. It didn’t soften the blow to himself but rather he felt a flood of emotion, grimacing and turning away, a look of pained anger on his face. _Fuck it, I want this, I want him._

 

 _What the hell is going on?_ L stared, wide-eyed, at Asahi’s back as the teen went into a… not quite a rant, more a fragmented monologue, but he was clearly upset about some unnamed thing, and L couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable about it. _What does he mean, if I ‘really knew’ him? What am I supposed to take from this?_ When the teen turned to him and kissed him again, L could feel his heart clenching again, and he had to ball his hands into fists to stop himself from wrapping his arms around Asahi’s shoulders. _Do you want me, or do you not? What is he doing?_ “Asahi…” he murmured, voice wobbly as he tried to figure out what to do.

 

“My real name is Light, not Asahi.” Light closed his eyes, sighing as he couldn’t stop himself. _And that will be the problem now won’t it? I can’t stop._ “Sorry for lying to you about that. I just wanted to tell you something real now.” He opened his eyes and looked up at Ryuzaki, guessing he seemed like just another angsty dumb teenager now, rambling like he had. Barely above a whisper, “I lie a lot, Ryuzaki. But I didn’t want to lie about that.”

 

L blinked, shocked by this turn of events. He honestly hadn’t expected to find out his real name until much later in the evening, if at all, and now it threw him into a predicament. _I can’t tell him who I really am. Not yet. Not even if I invited him to the task force. I don’t… what do I do NOW? This isn’t fair._ He deliberately didn’t think about what Light might have meant by his words. He couldn’t- he didn’t _want_ to think about it.

 

“Light…” L said, soft, experimentally, looking him over more carefully now, and as Asa- _Light, his real name is Light. Damn. How fitting._ As the teen turned to look at him, L let his gaze travel up again to Light’s face as he stood, trembling, in front of him. _What do I do?_ “I _knew_ Asahi was a fake name,” he admitted, feeling he owed him _that_ much, at least. “Light. Someone like you… you wouldn’t have such a common name. And if you were looking for something like _this_ … you wouldn’t use your real name. I understand why you lied, you don’t have to apologize.” _I, on the other hand…_

 

“So where does that leave us? I confess, I… you’re giving me mixed messages here. I…” L stepped forward, unable to stop himself, and cupped Light’s cheek, fingers gently stroking over his wet skin and up into his hair, brushing the strands plastered to his forehead out of his face. “I don’t want to just stop things here. But… if you don’t want to… I won’t force anything.” He had to bite his lip to stop the sudden tremble from showing, grateful for the water streaming over them now.

 

Light could see he’d confused Ryuzaki and was sorry for it, knowing how close he was coming to ruining everything. _This is why I lie. It’s the only way._ The shower beat against his back, a million incessant reminders of that fact, bringing him back to himself or the approximation of it he needed now. His eyes flicked to the tiled ceiling, grinning sheepishly, “See? I ramble and make no sense. Already a reason not to like me.” He looked back down at Ryuzaki, turning his face into his hand and kissing it. “No, I don’t want to stop. And if you want to force something, well…” Light’s hand wrapped around Ryuzaki’s waist, sliding lower to grab his ass and press him to the shower wall. He murmured against the man’s wet neck, tongue flicking out to taste his clean skin, “...you have my permission.”

 

L let out a surprised yelp when Light pushed him up against the wall of the shower, eyes fluttering shut at the feeling of fingers squeezing his ass and lips against his neck. _Yes, please, distract me_ , he thought, huffing out a shallow whine as he brought his hands up to clutch at Light’s back now. He didn’t want to think anymore tonight - thinking would just ruin everything, and he just… he wanted to feel something _real_ for once. _No, I still like you. Just… just give me this, please, we can figure things out in the morning._

 

Light’s lips slid along Ryuzaki’s shoulder, and he nibbled the tense muscles there. Soothing, silky, “Forget everything I said, I’m an idiot who can’t shut up sometimes.” He kneaded the flesh between his fingers, willing Ryuzaki to forget and relax. “Let’s get into those cake pops, I have a feeling I’ll be needing the energy.” He’d seen a bottle of champagne in the fridge too, along with other various alcoholic drinks. Light wondered if that might help kill the edge he was feeling and let himself forget and relax too.

 

The way Light was kissing and touching him was going a long way to helping L focus on the _now_ , and he chuckled breathlessly when he brought up the cake pops. “Don’t forget I still have the rest of the chocolate cheesecake. The delicious, _sinful_ one you liked so much?” _I wonder if he’ll let me… lick it off his abs. Like I fantasized about earlier. Probably not. Can’t hurt to ask, though_. The thought pulled a devilish giggle from him, and he decided he’d ask later.

 

Light gave Ryuzaki a last squeeze, fingers ghosting over the cleft of his ass as he removed his hands and stepped out of the shower. “Anyway…” He grabbed a towel, swiping it over his body before rubbing it on his hair. Muffled under the towel, “...I hope the beds here are soft, like Western beds are.” He tossed the towel into a hamper, taking a clean one and holding it open for Ryuzaki with a smile. _Come on, pretend with me._ “That’s something I never got about Japan, as much as I love it here. Why do the beds have to be like laying on concrete? No wonder the birth rate is falling.” _Laugh with me, please._

 

L couldn’t help but suck in an aroused breath when Light swiped teasing fingers over him and then just pulled away to step out of the shower, and he stayed where he was for a moment, breathing heavily. “Tease,” L muttered under his breath, unable to stop himself from smiling. He turned off the water, faintly regretful, and stepped out of the shower stall and into the towel Light held out for him, laughing softly at the commentary. “Considering this is an international chain, I’m going to guess that the accommodations are more to Western standards than Eastern. You may very well get your wish.” He wrapped the towel around his waist and went to look curiously at the soaps and oils and lotions that were arrayed on the counter. He hadn’t bothered earlier, but now…

 

“What the hell are the oils for?” he asked, picking one of the bottles up and looking it over. “Hair oil? What is that even supposed to do, just make your hair shiny?” Water dripped from his hair onto the bottle, and L snorted, setting it back down and turning back to Light as he dried himself off. “Perhaps you can explain that to me?”

 

Light pulled down a bathrobe that was hanging on a hook behind the door, shrugging it on as he went to look at the array of hotel toiletries. “Hair oil combats frizz.” He bit his lip a moment to hold back any comments about who in this room might need that. His finger hovered over the rest, landing on another bottle. “Massage oil.” He gave Ryuzaki a look, then grabbed it and shoved it into the pocket of his robe. “You did feel quite tense, especially in the shoulders.” _And I can think of a few other uses._ He brought his hands up to Ryuzaki’s slumped shoulders, pressing his thumbs between the muscles and immediately feeling a mess of knots. “Wow.” With mock seriousness, “Well, I insist that you let me give you a massage after cake, and I’ll show rather than tell you what that oil is good for.” He rubbed a moment longer, remembering the movements from physical therapy sessions when he was playing in the junior tennis championship.

 

“Hmm.” L nodded vaguely at the explanation, looking at the other toiletries for a moment before losing interest. The feeling of Light’s thumbs pressing into his shoulders brought a gasping little sound from him, though - he hadn’t been expecting it, and after the first initial feeling of pain, it actually felt _really_ good. “Holy shit,” he moaned, letting his head fall forward, hands clenching at the edge of the vanity. “Yeah… um, no complaints here.” He had to bite his lip to try and stifle a whimper when Light pulled away and went back into the other room. _Or you could have done that now._

 

Light went into the kitchen area, poking in the cabinets to find them plates and cups. There was a beautiful open balcony off their room and it might be nice to eat something there later, but right now he wanted to do something he was never allowed to at home— eat in bed. Light called to Ryuzaki as he opened the fridge, “Do you like champagne?” He pulled the bottle out, eyes going wide at the label. _Oh this is a very expensive one. I bet they’d charge the room if we drank it._ He hurriedly put it back, Ryuzaki was paying quite enough already. “Actually, there’s sodas too, how about that?” Ryuzaki had mentioned he wanted the _sinful_ cake so he grabbed that and some cake pops, putting them on the plate with a pair of forks.

 

It took L a moment to compose himself, and he shook his head before stopping to pick up the towel, discarding it in the hamper as well and grabbing the other bathrobe. “Oh, this is warm.” _I normally hate wearing these. Why is this hotel room so cold?_ “And soft.” _And I’m talking to myself._ Stepping into the room, L frowned as he caught a faint buzzing sound coming from… somewhere in the vicinity of their clothes. His eyes widened when he realized that he _recognized_ that vibrational pattern. _Oh shit. I forgot to turn my phone back off_. Hurrying over, he rummaged through his pockets and swore softly under his breath. He had apparently _just_ missed Watari’s call.

 

Distractedly, scrolling through the texts he had missed, L said, “I’ve actually never had champagne before. Did you want some?” _I should call him back, but… that might ruin the rest of the night._

 

Hesitating, torn between responsibility and _fun_ , L finally just sent a quick text, feeling guilty. **“Apologies. I won’t be back tonight. Nothing bad. Please carry on without me.”** _I’m not going to enjoy his questions when I get back, am I?_ he thought wryly, sighing as he immediately turned his phone off, going to set it on one of the bedside tables.

 

Light came back into the bedroom, setting the treats on the nightstand before testing out the bed by practically jumping on it. Giggling, “It’s soft!” He closed his eyes and grinned, snuggling into the fluffy feather pillows before holding a hand out to Ryuzaki. His eyes were dancing with happiness again, all gloomy thoughts washed away. In some ways, he really was just 18, and childlike comforts of warm pillows and delicious desserts were all he needed to fade into contentment again.

 

L turned to watch as Light came into the room, a grin spreading across his face when Light immediately jumped on the bed like a child. _Damn, he beat me to it._ “That was adorable,” he said, sliding under the covers with Light and snuggling into him. He pecked a kiss to Light’s nose, arms wrapping around him as he asked with a smile, “Did you want to order room service later, or are sweets good enough for you tonight? I’m perfectly content with what we’ve got, but if you want something else…”

 

Light wrapped his arms around Ryuzaki, drawing him closer and playing with a wet tendril of black hair. He was slightly surprised that all Ryuzaki needed was cake and sodas, but he didn’t really care one way or the other what he liked if it made him happy. “Room service? I don’t think I’ve ever had it before. I haven’t stayed in a hotel too many times, mostly for family vacations or school trips.” He smiled as Ryuzaki kissed his nose, starting to finally understand the appeal of silly sweetness between lovers. “My parents are notoriously cheap and of course we couldn’t splurge on school trips. It would be nice to spoil myself a little.” He equivocated though, because he didn’t have much money left and needed train fare at least to get back home. Quieter, “I guess it depends how much it is. It seems wrong for me to have you spend so much and I can’t pay my own way.”

 

“Ahh…” L nodded in understanding, glancing away a little as he admitted, “I’ve been... in and out of hotels and pretty much _lived_ off of room service and the like for the last couple years, so… I can cover the expense. I really don’t mind.” That was actually a little more of an admission than he’d meant to make, but… he felt like he owed Light some sort of truth. Looking back at the teen with shining eyes, he gave him a tiny, almost shy smile and lay back, stretching out on his side.

 

As soon as Ryuzaki started talking about himself, Light had listened quite closely. He hadn’t pressed the matter in the shower after getting a non-answer as to whether it was alright to ask, plus he’d gone off on his own thought processes. _So he’s lived out of hotels the past few years, which means he must travel almost constantly. He’s already said he doesn’t have his ‘own place’ but he’s getting one. I was probably right that he must be quite rich, to afford that expense._ It eased his conscience about the cost of everything though, equally piquing his curiosity as to what exactly Ryuzaki did. “As nice as it is to stay in a hotel, I would imagine it gets a little tiring, having nowhere to call home? Sounds glamourous though.” It sounded a little lonely too, because how did one put down roots and make friends, form meaningful relationships, if you were always on the move? Actors and musicians lived like that, he supposed. “It’s hard for me to imagine having that much freedom, to go where you like and stay where you want. I’m a little jealous.”

 

 _It’s very lonely, actually,_ L thought to himself, shaking his head to try and distract himself from Light’s fishing - because that’s what it was. He couldn’t blame him, of course. He also didn’t know how to answer the questions right that second, so while he considered his options, he let himself indulge.

 

“Room service later might be good, but right now…” Light sat up enough to reach over and take the plate of cheesecake and cake pops, placing it on the bed between them. “...I’ve been dying to try one of these.” _Something, the one thing, I could chip in for._ He picked a chocolate one of course, giving the iced exterior a lick before taking a small bite. His eyes fluttered shut because there was chocolate fudge cake in the middle. “Oh god...yes these are amazing.” He licked some fudge off his lips, trying not to get any crumbs in the sheets as he ate the rest in a couple bites.

 

“Delicious, right?” L said with a giggle, chewing at his thumbnail again. “The one you gave me before tasted like a peppermint brownie. Better than the big chain ones, too.”

 

Light laid the bare stick back on the plate, picking up a pink frosted one that he held out to Ryuzaki. “Here, try this one.” It looked to be strawberry but he wasn’t sure. “Tell me how it is.” Ryuzaki didn’t know it yet but Light was really looking forward to rubbing away all that horrible tension in his shoulders and back. It was the least he could do to try to pay him back for all the kindness and expense of an evening that was turning out to be one of the best of his life.

 

L reached up to grab it, nodding slightly in thanks before rolling onto his back and licking at the frosting. “Mm… Strawberry, I like it already.” Biting into it, he let out a happy squeal upon discovering that it was chocolate cake with a strawberry filling. He took another bite, forgetting not to talk with his mouth full as he said, slightly muffled, “Okay, I am officially going to buy cake pops exclusively from Gombei, these are the _best_. Try this one!” He held out the last bite, licking the crumbs from his lips and grinning. “You know you want to.”

 

Light giggled and leaned forward to take the bite of cake Ryuzaki offered, savoring the meld of strawberry and chocolate on his tongue. “That’s the best combination isn’t is? Strawberry and chocolate? Like someone’s trying to sneak in something healthy but the chocolate just decides fuck that.” He laughed louder to himself, because he understood it, the temptation to just give into mischief and indulgence sometimes. He picked up one of the pure chocolate ones he’d tried before and offered it to Ryuzaki next. “Why not just go all in, hmm? Nothing but sin here, no pesky antioxidants or vitamins or any of that nonsense.” He held it out like a temptation, brushing it against Ryuzaki’s lips before drawing it back. “There’s always a price to pay for that kind of behavior though.” He pulled the bite of cake off the stick, placing it between his own lips and giving Ryuzaki a look like ‘come and get it.’

 

Light’s little metaphor regarding the cake pops made L laugh… and also made him squirm a bit as he licked frosting from his lips, because really, how appropriate was the description? L himself was indulgence to a T, underneath the veneer of duty and obligation. He really didn’t answer to anyone, and he _liked_ it that way. Sitting up, heart beating faster at Light’s teasing little temptation, he shifted onto his knees before reaching out to frame Light’s face in his hands, leaning in to lick teasingly at Light’s mouth. “You are _so_ hot,” he murmured with a smile before taking a careful bite of the proffered cake between Light’s teeth. He pulled back, chewing with a closed lip smile before swallowing. “Are you _sharing_ it, or is it all mine?”

 

Without waiting for an answer, L brought one finger down to press into the fudge center, grinning deviously before reaching under Light’s bathrobe and smearing the fudge against his chest. He widened his eyes, trying to look innocent as he said, “Oops.”


	6. Sex and Candy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Light is _more_ than happy to indulge L's misbehavior. Because he has his _own_ plans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Damn, this would have been a great chapter to post on Valentine's Day. -Ghost

Light watched Ryuzaki lean in and do exactly what he hoped he’d do—misbehave of course. He pulled the remaining cake into his mouth, more in response to the fudge he felt smeared across his chest than wanting to ‘steal’ it. He hummed as he worked the cake in his mouth, looking down at what Ryuzaki had done. “I _was_ going to let you have all of it, but like I said…” He glanced back up, licking his lips but not wanting _cake_ anymore. “...there’s a price.”

 

He pulled at the bathrobe tie, opening the robe further and exposing more of his chest. Light’s body wasn’t overly muscular, but still the lean, smooth form of the tennis champion he (formerly) was. He kept in shape by running these days, forced to eat extremely healthy by his parents but indulging on chips now and then. Light jerked his chin at the cheesecake still on the plate, raising a challenging eyebrow. “You might as well just go all in.” Grinning wide, anxious for Ryuzaki’s tongue on his skin again. “As long as you plan to clean up your mess as _thoroughly_ as before.” He pulled the robe open completely, giving Ryuzaki as much access as he wanted.

 

 _Aw damn._ L watched, slightly disappointed, as Light ate the rest of the cake, though he briefly entertained the idea of pouncing on him and licking the cake right out of his mouth. But after a moment, he was glad he’d waited, because watching Light pull his robe open and _offer_ to let him smear cheesecake all over him? _Holy shit._ His breathing was a little too tellingly heavy as he asked weakly, “Really?!” No need to ask _him_ twice. L quickly shucked out of his own robe, not wanting to get cake crumbs on it, and prowled forward to press Light to lay back on the bed. “Oh, I promise I won’t miss a _crumb_ ,” he murmured, straddling Light’s thighs now as he reached for the plate, scooping bits of rich cheesecake up in his fingers and smearing it over the teen’s toned abdomen. “I should let you know... I’ve been wanting to do this since we got to the hotel.” L looked up at Light and smiled excitedly. “I didn’t even have to _ask_. Did you _know_?” He dragged cheesecake covered fingers down over Light’s belly button, towards his hips and finally nodded in satisfaction.

 

Light laid back on the overstuffed pillows, smiling to see Ryuzaki suddenly so animated and excited. He’d assumed that someone with that many pictures of desserts on their _Tinder_ profile probably had some food kink. Observing Ryuzaki’s oral fixation (quite closely) had been only more evidence, and then the fudge testingly swiped on his chest had clenched it. _Not altogether subtle, but now I get his tongue again._ “Just a lucky guess, apparently.” _Lucky for me._

 

Licking his own fingers clean, L smiled down at Light again and leaned forward to kiss his mouth thoroughly, not even trying to hide how aroused he was by this. _Lucky guess, my ass._ He had to make himself break the kiss, panting, and flashed another smile before lowering his head and dragging his tongue across Light’s chest, making sure to lick away all of the fudge before lapping at one nipple experimentally. He was paying careful attention to what the teen liked, now, wanting to savour this and draw it out as much as he could.

 

The muscles of Light’s stomach flinched slightly at the cold cheesecake, but watching Ryuzaki make him dirty all over again was definitely turning him on. He pulled the man in when he was kissed, tasting chocolate and strawberries and the more primal things beneath that. That was the best of all really, just the way Ryuzaki tasted, and he knew he’d never forget it. Light was about to drag him down, cheesecake be damned, but Ryuzaki broke the kiss and licked his chest, reminding him that _yes, this will be good._ His breathing was already a little ragged after that kiss but as soon as Ryuzaki’s tongue brushed his nipple, he exhaled a soft moan and pushed up against his mouth for more. That was _definitely_ an erogenous zone for him. His hands slid up Ryuzaki’s arms, but he didn’t push him. Light just wanted to lay back and enjoy the hell out of this, knowing that all this teasing was probably going to result in a _very_ interesting massage.

 

L huffed out a breath, grinning briefly before sealing his lips around Light’s nipple and sucking. _He definitely likes this_ , he thought, a shiver going through him at the way Light was responding to everything he was doing. With a chuckle, he switched to the other nipple, swirling his tongue around it before biting down gently, wanting to see how the teen would react. After a moment, he pulled away, murmuring smugly, “ _Damn._ You just wanted my mouth all over you again, admit it.”

 

Light was getting rock hard again from the way Ryuzaki was licking and sucking at his chest, and the view of that pink tongue lathing all over him was so visually arousing. His fingers clenched around Ryuzaki’s arm when he bit his nipple, hissing ‘Yes…’ as his hips pushed up. He nearly whispered ‘harder’ too, but was distracted when Ryuzaki spoke. “Of course I did, I can’t get enough of it.” His gaze flicked from Ryuzaki’s eyes to his mouth, squirming slightly as he watched each long lick. Panting slightly, voice lower, “I want your tongue down my throat...want it inside me...want your mouth wrapped around my cock.”

 

Light’s words were _such_ a turn on that, for a moment, L wasn’t sure how much Light _wanted_. He glanced over for a second, reaching out to scoop up the remaining bits of cheesecake from the plate, and holding his fingers close to Light’s lips with a smile. “If you want the rest… might as well both get something delicious out of this.” That said, he nuzzled his mouth to Light’s chest again, tongue swirling around in wide swathes as he began to lick away the cheesecake, making sure to be perfectly thorough. Couldn’t let it go to waste, after all - not the food, and not this opportunity to feel every perfect inch of skin under his tongue.

 

Light smiled when Ryuzaki brought the last of the cheesecake to his lips, licking it off and then sucking up his fingers. “Believe me, I’m already getting something delicious, but I’ll take that too.”

 

“You know,” L said in a breathy hush, a long moment later, pausing to dip his tongue into Light’s belly button and grinning up at him. “I can’t tell right now if _you_ taste better, or the cake does.” It was said teasingly, and he hoped Light understood that. He knew he would have enjoyed doing this either way, though now he just wanted to be _done_  with it so Light would tackle him to the bed.

 

Light laughed quietly as Ryuzaki considered the more delicious of the options before him. “It’s a good thing I didn’t make you choose then.” The cheesecake was mostly gone by now and Light couldn’t wait much longer to get his hands on Ryuzaki. He slipped a hand into his wet hair, making him look up from Light’s stomach to his face. “I think I’m clean enough.” His hand moved to the back of Ryuzaki’s head and tugged him closer, grabbing his wrist with his free hand and yanking him onto Light’s saliva-slick chest. He licked at Ryuzaki’s sugary lips, thrusting up slightly to slide their erections together. “As spectacular as your mouth is, I’m more interested in another part of you right now.” It would be the first time for Light doing this but he knew it was important to prepare the receiving partner so there was no pain. He rolled them over so he was on top of Ryuzaki, rotating his hips teasingly against him. “Can I show you what that massage oil is good for?”

 

 _Is he inside my head, or does he just want the same thing as me?_ L thought dazedly when Light tugged him up into a kiss. Well, not _quite_ a kiss, but it was close enough that L didn’t care, more interested in rubbing up against him. Breathlessly, he asked, “You really think my mouth is _that_ spectacular? You flatterer.” It had been asked teasingly, but it really _did_ make him feel good every time Light complimented him. _I could easily get used to that_...

 

He let out a low groan when Light rolled them over, squirming at the way the teen was teasing him. “ _Yes_ , oh god, yes, please _show me_. I want you so _fucking_ bad, Light,” L said, voice low and husky as he reached to clutch at Light’s back, pressing up to meet every torturous slide of his hips. He had an idle thought that maybe _this_ was a tease as well, and he _wasn’t_ about to finally get fucked, but… if Light meant to actually give him that massage he’d promised _now_ , that would be good, too. Still, he rather hoped Light was talking about sex.

 

Light grinned to see Ryuzaki writhing beneath him, exactly where he’d wanted him all night. _Oh he wants it bad, bad as I do._ “Patience is a virtue you know.” Well, not really, Light was impatient as they came. But he was really enjoying Ryuzaki’s squirming need, it stroked his ego to see such naked desire for him. Light kissed him hard, moving his arms beneath him to press their bodies tightly together as he kept up his shallow thrusts. He could feel slickness between them now, knew he had to be leaking precome from how he throbbed against the other man’s hot skin. _I need more._

 

The idea that _Light_ was lecturing him on patience was a little funny when _he’d_ been the one saying he was ‘clean enough’. L didn’t say anything about it, though - mostly because Light was kissing him in a way that made him want to stop time and just bask forever. _Like that’s even possible._

 

Light pulled back and sat up on his knees, straddling Ryuzaki’s hips as he took the massage oil from his bathrobe. Light tossed the robe aside and popped the cap with his thumb, “Turn over. It’ll feel so much better if I can relax you first, and there’s no way you could be with all those knots.” He smirked a little, because of course he planned on multitasking but he’d leave that as a surprise.

 

L scraped his nails softly down Light’s back, sighing a little when the teen pulled away. _Oh come ON, just fuck me already!_ Huffing out a breath that was equal parts amused and annoyed, L did as he was told, curious now. “I’m used to it, Light,” he said, glancing up over his shoulder at him. “I’m not going to complain, I just wish you’d stop _teasing_ me.” With a smirk, he wiggled under Light, deliberately trying to push back against him as he got comfortable.

 

Light _really_ liked to hear Ryuzaki using his real name, and while it was probably bad judgement to have told him, he stopped caring once the thought of hearing it moaned crossed his mind. He chuckled at Ryuzaki’s apparent annoyance at his teasing, but knew he wouldn’t be complaining in a moment given his previous reaction to having his shoulders rubbed. But still, Light couldn’t stop himself from slapping Ryuzaki’s ass playfully, “You’re so demanding aren’t you?”

 

The slap made L yelp, but in all honesty, he had been _angling_ for Light to do something like that, so he really had no grounds to complain. “Oh, you have _no_ idea how demanding I can be.”

 

Light squeezed the now rosy flesh in his fingers a moment before squirting some oil in his hands. He leaned down and smoothed it on Ryuzaki’s shoulders, starting to massage and squeeze. Light leaned down further to whisper in his ear as he rolled the knots with his thumbs, “You’re such a brat, maybe I ought to give you a real spanking, hmm?” His tone was purely teasing but the idea was certainly appealing. Light moved to whisper in the other ear as one of his hands worked on lower muscles. “Or maybe you really do just need to be fucked that badly. Don’t worry, I promised you’d get everything you wanted from me.” His slick fingers were finding fewer knots now, the muscles becoming more pliant and relaxed.

 

The teen’s hands on him felt _amazing_ , like L had known they would, and he found himself shoving his fist against his mouth to try and stifle the moan as tension he hadn’t even _realized_ he’d been carrying was rubbed away. “Jesus... I’m going to have to keep you,” L finally said, voice bottoming out into a contented sigh when Light dug his thumbs into his lower back, breathless and squirming now from the dirty little things Light was whispering to him.. “I haven’t had anyone give me this kind of care since I was a _kid_.” And never anything _this_ thorough, even when he pushed too hard and strained muscles during his tennis career.

 

Light’s heart clenched when Ryuzaki said _I’ll have to keep you._ A similar thought had been running through his mind since he’d been in the shower, letting himself wonder what it would be like to get closer to this person, to touch them and be touched by them often. To explore all the sensual things he wanted to do with and to them. To be open for once in his life. The prospect was unimaginably dangerous and cruel, for both of them really. But as his fingers kneaded flesh and slipped into another’s dark heart, Light thought maybe he could try, maybe this could work if he only put up the beautiful mask that anyone ever wanted to see. Be that, become that and make it so real that even a lover would never look behind it. _I want you to keep me._

 

He nipped at Ryuzaki’s earlobe before leaning back up, both his hands focusing on the lower back muscles and pushing in deep. But they strayed lower still, caressing the man’s thin hips before kneading into his ass. Light moved Ryuzaki’s legs apart slightly, stroking one oiled finger down his cleft and circling his entrance. “Remember, just relax and it won’t hurt. If it does just tell me.” He gently began to press inside, slowly so the clenching muscles could get used to the invasion. Light hummed as he watched it slip in and out, twisting slightly to open him. “How does that feel?”

 

Light surprised him by kneading his hands lower, and even though L had been practically _melting_ into the mattress, now he found himself tensing up a little in anticipation, fists clenching in the sheets as he realized what Light meant to do. _Of course that’s what he was trying to do. “Light_...” The reminder to relax was appreciated and L couldn’t help the low whine that left his mouth as Light pressed a finger into him. As he got used to the sensation, he found himself pressing back as he moaned out, “No... no, that’s _good_. It feels good. I need _more_.”

 

 _More. More of this I can give you._ Light needed to see Ryuzaki’s face though, he wanted that much intimacy at least. “I want you to watch me do this.” He pulled his finger out slowly, shifting Ryuzaki’s legs to get him to turn over on his back and scoot back a little to the headboard. When they were face to face, Light squeezed more oil on his fingers and pressed in two this time, scissoring them as he stroked against his insides. He leaned closer, scooting forward and looking for L’s prostate with his fingers. Light lifted one of Ryuzaki’s legs and put it on his shoulder, nipping at his ankle as he pushed in a little faster and harder. “Tell me when you feel something good.” He turned to smile at the man, licking across his calf as he fingerfucked faster, “I have to know what to aim for after all.” His own erection was absolutely aching to get inside of Ryuzaki but the last thing he wanted to do was cause any _real_ pain.

 

 _Good, because I want to watch you_ , L thought to himself, smiling as he settled back against the headboard. “Are you trying to turn me into a voyeur?” he asked teasingly, reaching out to trail his fingertips down Light’s cheeks, his own cheeks pink from the stimulation. “Not that I’m compla-” He sucked in a breath, eyes squeezing shut for a moment before opening again, pupils dilating until his eyes looked almost black. “ _Mm_ , definitely not complaining,” he moaned, fisting his hands in the sheets again to discourage him from _touching_ himself. He wanted to last as long as he could… and the way Light was stroking into him was doing _quite_ enough to get him there already.

 

“ _Oh!”_ L gasped, a shiver going through him when Light’s fingers brushed something else. It felt good, but almost _too_ good, almost on the edge of pain. When Light did it again, he found himself breathing harder, and he clutched hard at the teen’s shoulder and moaned, “ _There._ Keep- keep doing _that_.” _Or just get in me_ , he thought, giggling breathlessly as he attempted to tug Light into a kiss.

 

Light smiled when he knew he’d hit it, and made a mental map so he could definitely find that spot again. “Yes...I’ll turn you into a complete pervert if you let me.” _I’m not kidding, the things I want to do to you would shock you._ He was breathing hard watching Ryuzaki respond to his touch so honestly, eyes darting between the third finger he was now adding and mirrored pupils widened in lust. “I hope you’re nearly ready...I need to be inside you.” His movements were a little more insistent now, stroking and opening him while pushing against that memorized spot. He wanted to reach down and stroke Ryuzaki but didn’t want to push things over the edge quite yet.

 

L’s breathless, delighted giggles were hard to contain at Light’s ‘pervert’ comment, because really, if he only _knew_ some of the dirty things L liked... “Light-” he started, cutting himself off with another moan as Light’s fingers pressed insistently into his prostate, wringing the most overwhelming sensations out of him. “Fuck, _Light_ , please, I need you inside me _now!_ ” His pleas were cut off when Light kissed him, and he let out a muffled cry into the kiss as Light wrapped his other arm around L’s hips and pulled him forward onto his fingers. _Holy shit._

 

Light wanted Ryuzaki so badly, wanted to never leave this room and just live here on sugar and sex _and lies._ He couldn’t take it anymore, kissing that warm mouth only made him ache for stimulation. Fingers were retracted and he patted the bed for the oil before reluctantly pulling away. Light held his gaze then slicked himself, pointing his cock down and nudging against Ryuzaki’s entrance. “Push down on it if you want it.” He licked his parted lips, wanting to watch Ryuzaki do it himself, to show Light how much he wanted it. “C’mon and show me, make me feel _you.”_

 

L nearly cried in relief when Light pulled his fingers out, and he found himself panting, fingers clenching and unclenching as he tried to catch his breath. He couldn’t tell at first if Light was issuing him a challenge, or just trying to tease him, but like with the cheesecake situation, L didn’t need to hear him say it more than the once. Holding Light’s gaze, lips parted and still breathing harshly, he pushed himself down on Light’s cock eagerly, welcoming the stretch, welcoming the feeling of being _filled_. “Oh _fuck_ ,” he moaned out, head falling back as he reached up again to clutch at Light’s shoulders with one hand, propping himself up slightly with the other arm as he tugged Light down against him. “If you don’t fuck me _now,_ I won’t be held responsible for whatever follows,” he whispered, biting at Light’s earlobe, fucking down on his cock again.

 

Light’s mouth fell open at the sight before him, Ryuzaki hadn’t hesitated a moment to take him right away. A moan was wrenched from him as he was enveloped, squeezed, practically sucked inside Ryuzaki’s body. And it was so hot and...”Oh my god…” Light’s breath hitched, his eyes fluttering shut as he leaned forward instinctively to push in deeper. A harsh whisper as he grabbed Ryuzaki’s body to pull him down, “You’re so fucking tight…” Sounds passed his lips when Ryuzaki fucked down on him again, but they weren’t words, just gasps of surprised pleasure.

 

He needed to move, and held one of Ryuzaki’s legs out to the side for leverage before sliding out and giving one hard thrust. Light did it again, watching Ryuzaki’s face to make sure he wasn’t hurting him. “I wanted to do this since you walked into that cafe.” He leaned in harder, picking up a steady sliding rhythm. It was true, he just hadn’t really thought it was going to happen, even up until a few minutes ago. Light captured Ryuzaki’s lips in his, devouring him, fucking his mouth with his tongue and sucking on it. His breath was ragged as he pulled away to lick against Ryuzaki’s neck excitedly, moaning against him as he held back against the intensity of this feeling.

 

That first hard thrust took L’s breath away, nearly making him see stars, and the second one knocked him off balance, falling almost flat on his back and staring up at Light in a daze. _FINALLY._ Hearing Light say that pulled a happy sound out of him, a tremulous smile spreading across his face even as his body shuddered, eyes fluttering shut at the wave of emotion and sensation that swept over him. “You _did_?” he breathed, only for Light to cut him off with a searing kiss. L gave himself over to the pleasure of the kiss, of the rhythm Light established, sinking down against the mattress and instead reaching up to wrap his arms around Light’s waist so he could run his fingers up and down the teen’s back. _This is so incredible, I never want to feel anything else_ , L thought to himself, moaning into Light’s mouth as they kissed… or more accurately, as Light tonguefucked him. _I am going to be so fucking wrecked for anyone else. Forget it. Done. I just want HIM._

 

Light was supporting himself with one hand on the headboard, gripping it tightly as he slammed into Ryuzaki over and over. He pulled back and gazed down at the man as his fingers caressed Ryuzaki’s cheek, but trailed lower to stroke at his neck. _I didn’t forget what you said in that naughty profile._

 

When Light pulled out of the kiss, L pouted for a moment, his own breathing just as ragged as Light’s, and he was only mollified by the feeling of Light’s tongue against his neck. Chuckling, L reached up to thread his fingers through the teen’s hair, holding his mouth there until he pulled away again. L supposed he couldn’t be _too_ mad about that when Light began stroking his fingers against his neck with a devious grin on his face. _Oh my god, is he…?_

 

Light whispered, “Do you trust a stranger not to choke the life out of you?” He gave a light testing squeeze right as he angled a thrust to Ryuzaki’s prostate, releasing his fingers quickly.

 

That question sent a shock of pure arousal through L, heating him up and bursting from him as a strangled gasp, even _before_ Light squeezed his throat. _YES._ His voice came out like a sob as Light rammed into his prostate again, “ _Again_ , please!” He was clutching so hard at Light’s back now, he was sure his nails were going to be leaving marks. _And he DID want me to scratch up his back…_

 

Light was completely entranced with how beautiful Ryuzaki looked like this, so real, so human in this moment when everything faded away to a pinpoint of _just us._ It felt like an actual connection for once in his life, and not just where their bodies physically met. But something true and raw in him was reaching for the same in this person, wanting to rip it out with each gasp and pound it in with each sliding thrust. His hand clenched around Ryuzaki’s neck again, a little longer this time, grinning and panting as he felt nails dig deep because _yes yes YES!_ This intoxicating power was the gift of life-or-death trust and so ironic given who he was. _How would you feel if you knew it was Kira who held your life beneath his hand?_ That thought and the desperate plea-- _a beg, oh fuck_ \--made Light shudder hard, nearly coming as he stared down at the bruises starting to form on pale skin.

 

 _I don’t want this to end,_ L thought, his desperate moan abruptly strangled when Light cut off his air supply, and he found himself raking his nails up Light’s back as he pushed down to meet each thrust now. He was so _fucking_ close, and the way Light felt, the way he shuddered against him, the sheer intensity and connection he felt from and with the teen was - it was _everything_.

 

Light slowed slightly, his whole body trembling as he teetered on the edge and kept it at bay. He squeezed his eyes shut, his own nails digging into the headboard as he pushed hard and clenched Ryuzaki’s neck again. The man’s body clamped down on him and he moaned, “ _F-fuck_...oh fuck Ryuzaki….you feel so amazing.” His fingers raked down Ryuzaki’s chest, leaving pink trails to where Light finally grabbed his cock and started to slickly stroke in time with his thrusts. His eyes were on fire as he leaned closer, whispering against parted lips, “I’m gonna make you come so hard...so hard you’ll never want to let me go.”

 

Light released his neck for a moment, and after L had gotten a breath, he panted, “ _Please_ , Light.” He could feel from the way Light trembled that the teen was probably just as close as _he_ was. “Don’t _stop_ -” Those magic fingers tightened on his throat one more time, and L could feel all his other senses going haywire as the feelings coursing through him intensified, his focus narrowing down to just the two of them; the nails scraping down his chest, the fingers wrapping around him to stroke him, the feeling of being so _full_ and fucked open, that beautiful mouth pressed against his parted lips. He couldn’t do anything but react at this point, his own fingers fisted in Light’s hair as his legs clenched around the teen’s shoulders.

 

Light whined into Ryuzaki’s mouth, kissing and licking and panting erratically, but it was spectacular to feel both so completely out of control and in it. He was bending Ryuzaki nearly in half by now, the man’s legs shifted to Light’s shoulders as he couldn’t stop grasping for more and deeper. _Oh god, I can’t hold back anymore._ He wrenched his mouth away to gasp for the breath knocked from him as his orgasm hit him like a bomb, crying out Ryuzaki’s name as he started to pulse deep. He let go of the headboard and pinned Ryuzaki’s neck to the bed, squeezing as he stroked him with the low demand, “Come for me, with me. _Now.”_

 

Everything was so overwhelming that when Light finally pinned L to the bed by his throat, pulsing inside of him and _commanding_ him to come, he had already reached the breaking point, vision going blurry from the intensity of his orgasm as he clenched his own fingers against the back of Light’s neck and rode the waves of euphoria down. After a moment, he frantically smacked at Light’s shoulder, tugging at his hair and nearly sobbing when the teen finally released him.

 

Light had been so overcome with the euphoric high that he’d apparently held on to Ryuzaki’s neck a little too long, finally snapping out of his daze when he felt panicked blows. He released his fingers immediately, pulling back his hand as if burned and letting Ryuzaki’s legs slide from his shoulders. _I went too far._

 

“Holy _shit, Light_ ,” L whispered raggedly, trembling as he stared.

 

Stammering, “I’m..I’m so sorry…” _Oh shit._ Light’s eyes were wide with guilt as the handprint around Ryuzaki’s neck stood out like a brand, “I didn’t mean to…hurt you.” Swallowing hard, he looked down and pulled out of Ryuzaki gently, wincing just perceptibly as he felt the man’s eyes boring into him. His hands shook as he turned to grab his discarded robe and use it to clean up the ensuing mess, unable to look up. _My mess, and I made a mess of this, didn’t I? This is why you can’t lose control._

 

 _Oh no._ L blinked and pouted a little when he realized that Light had misconstrued what he’d said. He was still reeling from everything, though, and his reactions were slow, so he let the teen go through the motions and clean them up before pressing his hand to Light’s. “Hey…” Light looked so dejected as he apologized, L had to shake him a little. “ _Light_. Look at me.”

 

Light wasn’t sure what to say. Telling Ryuzaki how good it was for him seemed insensitive now. He cringed inside with how selfish he must have seemed, but he’d been so caught up in the moment he hadn’t been able to put up his usual masks of self-restraint and calm control. Light cleaned them both up quietly and then pushed the dirty robe to the floor with a sigh. Tears of shame pricked the back of his eyes but he could hold back now, he felt in control again. His voice was even when he finally met Ryuzaki’s eyes, “I really apologize if I scared you. I got carried away and I regret it.” He was about to add _and it won’t happen again_ but he didn’t want to be presumptuous that there would be any more next times. And he wondered to himself if that was what he was trying to do all along, scare Ryuzaki away...sabotage this before it could sabotage him?

 

When Light apologized _again_ , L had to bite back a smile, struggling to look serious as he said softly, “I’m not mad, or scared, it’s - I didn’t mean to make you feel like you did something wrong.” He took a deep, slow breath, rubbing both hands up and down Light’s arms now. “I loved every second. I just wanted to make sure you didn’t forget me. But you were…” Blowing out a breath with a happy little smile, L leaned in to press his forehead to Light’s and whispered, “Holy _shit._ That was… _amazing._ You are amazing. _Don’t_ apologize.”


	7. Glasses Optional

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> L attempts to smooth over their misunderstanding. Light decides that the best form of stress relief is playfulness in the bath... and that champagne he was eyeing earlier.

Light heard Ryuzaki’s words but he couldn’t really listen, his heart pounding hard as he still felt that he had behaved very badly and wrong. “Oh…” He smiled weakly at the praise, scooting to lay down beside Ryuzaki instead of hovering over him like a menace. “I guess I surprised myself, to be honest.” _Scared myself more like._ He focused on normalizing his breathing to slow his heart, still feeling chills from the orgasm and the 180 in emotions. He smiled a little more sincerely, because Ryuzaki did seem to mean what he said. “It was amazing for me too, more than amazing.”

 

People would probably say that Light loved to talk or to hear himself speak, but there was really very little that he ever said that meant much. Words were masks too, tools of diversion and direction, the magician’s sleight of hand to conceal the trick. No, there was not much that Light liked to hear himself say knowing why he said it. But he didn’t feel that way now, there was no trick here, at least not his. So his words did please him now. Quietly, “You looked so beautiful. I only felt bad that...well, that I had hurt something like that.” He traced tentative fingers over Ryuzaki’s skin, wanting to touch him gently now and show him that Light wasn’t... _wasn’t what. Wasn’t the monster you are…you know you are?_

 

“Well, I know you didn’t mean to hurt me,” L said softly, shifting onto his side and slinging an arm over Light’s waist when he laid down beside him. “You’ve been more than careful enough, except for when I’ve asked you not to hold back, so…” L watched him with wide eyes, waiting for the moment when Light started to believe him. Once he saw that shift, he smiled again, eyes falling half shut as he leaned in to kiss him gently, feeling his heart clench at the sweet compliments Light gave him. Sighing, L said in a hush, “You don’t have to... say that to make me happy, Light.”

 

Light leaned back on his pillow and gave Ryuzaki an odd look when he said ‘you don’t have to say that to make me happy.’ Wasn’t it clear how Light felt? Didn’t Ryuzaki feel the attraction as a nearly palpable thing between them? And the irony of it, that when a rare truth was voiced it was taken as lies, while all his lies were taken as truth. But then, no one could tell the difference anymore, himself included half the time. He only replied, “I meant it,” and saved any protests that Ryuzaki should accept the compliment that perhaps was uncomfortable to hear for some reason. These days, it was enough to know he meant it and let others’ interpretations exist outside of him. He could battle to make people believe lies, and that was it.

 

 _He meant it?_ That brought a tiny smile to L’s lips even as he dismissed it. It was quite sweet, but ultimately not important right now. The important bit was that they liked each other…

 

Sheepishly, “Well I won’t feel bad if you enjoyed it.” _You never feel bad do you, for the things that you enjoy?_ “I know I did, and…” _You only feel bad when it goes wrong._ Light pressed a soft kiss to Ryuzaki’s lips, to soothe himself more than the other, burying his face in the man’s shoulder. “...and thank you for sharing that with me, trusting me.” He giggled quietly and snuggled closer, wanting to be held and told he was ok, alright, safe. “I guess not many people have something like _that_ as their first time.” _Oh I am a fool, but let me be foolish a bit more._

 

Feeling Light’s fingers tracing over his skin like that sent a shiver through L, and he found himself laughing at the observation the teen made. “No, I can imagine most people’s first time would be very… vanilla. And boring. Booze, candle light, fumbling hands and nerves, and then boring IKEA sex…” He laughed again and admitted, “Not that there wasn’t any nervousness _here_ , but I would hardly call either of us _normal_ in that regard. I already said I enjoyed it, and if you need more reassurances... if I were to go back and do it all over again, I wouldn’t change a single _thing_.” As Light snuggled closer, L tightened his arms around him, stroking at his back and hair. It felt oddly… _right_ to lay here with Light, not doing anything now but quietly laying in each other’s arms, seemingly content to just _be._ _And here he was telling me earlier he wasn’t looking for anything like this._

 

Light laughed at Ryuzaki’s description of what most people’s first time would be, “What’s so wrong with IKEA, hmm? Cheap and smartly designed, some of it isn’t half bad to look at.” One day, when he could have anything and everything he wanted, perhaps he’d scoff at cheap things like that too. But now, a tiny apartment to himself filled with even cardboard boxes for tables and chairs would be a dream. “Although you seem to be used to living in the lap of luxury, hotels and room service and buying whole cake pop displays.” He was joking of course, and slightly jealous of anyone who _could_ do that. His father’s police job made them comfortably middle class but there were not many splurges with two children and his mother a homemaker.

 

L was intensely amused by Light’s defense of IKEA. “I can’t tell if you’re being deliberately obtuse, or if you actually don’t know what I meant by IKEA sex. I have absolutely nothing against the franchise, and in fact, I own a few of their swivel chairs. They’re quite comfortable, and make for easy storage when traveling.” He stuck his tongue out playfully at Light, and added, “Besides, I wouldn’t say I live in the lap of luxury. I’ve never stayed somewhere _this_ fancy before.”

 

Hell, L usually didn’t stay in super fancy hotels, period. Hotels with top notch customer service, yes. Hotels with the best security features, absolutely. Hotels that had champagne stocked in the fridges and luxury bathrooms, and soft beds? No. Granted, he could tell that Light was (mostly) teasing, but still. “It’s nice, I suppose, but after a while, every hotel starts to look the same. It’s... really not as glamorous as you might think.” Pulling back, L sat up, stroking at Light’s cheek with a smile as he asked, “Shall we get you something a little more substantial than sweets to eat? I think you said there was champagne, as well, if you still want it.”

 

“Well, I shall partake of your generosity and indeed get something to eat. I’m kind of starving actually.”  Light sat up and stretched his arms over his head, realizing he’d exerted himself more than he thought. His stomach and chest crackled with stickiness though, coated with sugary saliva and wiped off cum and sweat and…”After a shower though. I can’t seem to stay clean with you around. I guess I’ll order something first though.”

 

Tugging his knees up to his chest, L brought his thumb up to his mouth, nibbling idly as he watched Light sit up and stretch, enjoying the view. _I think I might understand what he was saying earlier when he said he liked the way I looked. Messy and debauched is quite attractive on him._ “Would you like me to apologize for helping you get so dirty again?” he asked, his tone overly innocent, hiding a smile behind his thumb. “Because I’m afraid that would be a bald faced lie.”

 

Light got up off the bed and dug through the nightstand for the hotel menu, leafing through it while he hummed to himself. “Wow...most of this I’ve never even had. Maybe...I’ll just have the soba noodles.” It was the most IKEA thing on the menu. Cheap, functional, probably presented well though. He handed the menu to Ryuzaki, left conspicuously open to the desserts page which was _extremely_ extensive. “Might find something there you like too. Would you mind calling it in while I wash up?” He gave Ryuzaki a wink and headed into the bathroom, deciding to have a bath instead.

  
When Light handed him the menu, walking away towards the bathroom, L couldn’t help but stare after him. Only when Light had disappeared and the water started running did he turn to the menu. The list of desserts sounded _amazing_ , and he pored over the list for a couple minutes before finally deciding on something, turning his attention to the rest of the menu. His eyes widened, and he slid out of the bed and stalked towards the bathroom to see Light running a bath.

 

Light squeezed some bubble bath into the running water as the tub filled, smiling at the silly luxury of it. He didn’t know when he’d have the opportunity again and this was such an enormous tub, it seemed a waste not to put it to its proper purpose and indulge. He slipped beneath the hot water and sighed in contentment, closing his eyes and leaning back to just _soak. Damn this felt good._ He idly splashed himself, rubbing the suds over his skin. The scratches he couldn’t see on his back burned slightly in the water’s heat but he didn’t mind it, just wished he had looked in the mirror before he got in.

 

The tub looked quite inviting, even without the view of Light relaxing against the side, and L had to shake his head to focus as he held the menu out, dangling between his thumb and forefinger. “Soba noodles? Are you _sure_ you don’t want something else? You could have your pick of absolutely _anything_ on the menu, Light.”

Light looked up as Ryuzaki came in, biting his lip at the funny way he was holding the menu. _He’s got so many weird habits, but I just find them cute._ Smiling, “Well...if you _insist_ , I could get the grilled Wagyu tenderloin and work it off later.” In reality, his mouth had been watering since he read that, but it was exorbitantly expensive.

 

“Work it off later, hmm?” L gave him an innocent look as he brought a finger up to his mouth, pretending to think. “I like the sound of _that._ But…” He looked longingly at the tub, and then back down at the menu.

 

Light scooted back in the tub to make room, “Want to join me?” Light batted at the bubbles that were now filling the tub, scooping some up and blowing them at Ryuzaki. “If you don’t, I’ll just splash you until you relent.”

 

“Do you want me to call this in first, or get in the tub with you?” _Because I would very much like to join you_.

 

Giggling, Light made good on his promise, splashing Ryuzaki right in the face before ducking underwater to avoid the aftermath.

 

The splash of water in the face clinched it, and L laughed, wiping his face off before tossing the menu aside and climbing in, plunging his hands below the water to try and haul the soggy teen up. “Come here, you brat!” He gave Light a devilish look once the teen came back up for air and surged forward to kiss him, nipping at his lips playfully and trailing his fingers up from Light’s hips to his sides.

 

Light was laughing hard when he came up for air, or more accurately, was pulled up. Because he’d gotten what he’d wanted, Ryuzaki in the tub with him _right now_. His giggles were stifled when Ryuzaki kissed him, but he kept grinning into it as he pulled the man closer against him. Mumbling against soft lips, “Brat?! Hmm, like you should talk.” It was clear they were both demanding people who liked to get their way, but that only made Light like him more. Most of his friends were timid as mice, bowed by the culture of politeness and acquiescence. _Take what you want, if you can--that’s how I want to live._

 

L paused for a moment and then dug his fingers into Light’s sides a little more insistently in an attempt to see if he was ticklish. L was hungry again, too, but… food could wait _just_ a little longer.

 

Light pulled his mouth away and started laughing again as Ryuzaki tickled his sides, squirming between him and the tub as he tried to extricate himself. “Ryu---” He broke into breathless giggles, grabbing at Ryuzaki’s hands. Luckily, the bubbles had made him slippery and he scooted from that devilish grasp to pull Ryuzaki’s arm behind his back. Light quickly wrapped his legs around the man’s waist, taking his other wrist and holding that still too.

 

With a grin, L tried to tickle him again, only to have Light pull his hands away. “Aw, come on,” he complained, trying and failing to stifle the happy smile on his face. Honestly, he was quite enjoying the whole evening so far, and despite a couple hiccups along the way, everything seemed maybe a little too magical. _I think I could fall for you, Light. Give me enough time with you like this, and I might be hooked for life._

 

“You’re worse than my sister!” But Light was only amused, the expression on his face happy and free. “But looks like I’ve got you now.” His tone became more seductive as he kissed Ryuzaki, sliding forward to sit right in his lap. “The price for release is Wagyu tenderloin and green tea mousse. What say the captive?”

 

As the teen slid into his lap, L shuddered, eyes falling shut as he kissed Light back. That seductive little demand sent a shiver through him, even as it brought a satisfied smile to his lips. _There you go. You’re allowed to ask for what you want._ “Anything my captor wants,” he murmured, playing along. “But... Light, what if I don’t want you to release me?” He squirmed a little beneath Light, leaning forward to press a kiss to Light’s jaw before trailing his lips down to the teen’s throat and licking his damp skin, grimacing slightly at the taste of the bubble bath. Light’s reaction was worth it, though. “What will you do then? Or shall I fulfill your request and then be captured again?”

 

Light tightened his legs around Ryuzaki, bending his neck to expose more skin to his mouth. _God I’m so addicted to it already._ A soft sigh passed his lips as he relaxed, nearly losing his grip as Ryuzaki played along. “If the captive wants to remain, who am I to deny him? That will cost more though, due to the extra trouble and all.” Light looked down at him with a grin, swiping his tongue over Ryuzaki’s bottom lip. “Champagne. Of course, it’s terribly expensive and indulgent, but...I’ll make it worth your while to see me a little tipsy.” He released Ryuzaki’s hands and embraced him, kissing him properly this time as he felt himself getting excited all over again.

 

L was honestly surprised he had the energy to be getting so excited again, but the way Light was pressing against him and kissing him was… and this little game they’d slipped into so easily? It was _really_ hitting all his buttons. _Why are you so perfect?_ The words weren’t even important, just the intent behind them, and he found himself hard pressed to even respond _verbally_ to Light, merely wrapping his arms tight around the teen’s waist and kissing him with a shallow whimper.

 

His stomach grumbled loudly between them, breaking the moment as Light grimaced with mild embarrassment. “Ok, food first though, or I won’t have the energy to capture a brat like you.” He bopped Ryuzaki on the nose playfully, reluctantly sliding from his lap and rinsing the last of the bubbles off his skin. He was hard again under the water but he really did need to eat something more substantial than a bite of cake before going round 2. “Should I stay in the tub while you order something?”

 

With a glance down at Light’s stomach, L chuckled, murmuring wryly, “Yes, yes, I’ll go order you some food.” He knew he must look disappointed when Light pulled away, but he shook his head as he rose out of the water, clutching the edge of the tub for balance. “You stay here. I’ll be back momentarily.” _And then I plan to take full advantage of this amazing tub._ He smiled down at Light, stepping out and over to the hamper to grab his towel from before, drying himself off perfunctorily before swiping the menu and going back into the other room. It was quick work to make the order ( _Wagyu tenderloin and green tea mousse, flounder with the sweet soy sauce and Mont Blanc please_ ), and then he wandered into the kitchen to grab the bottle of champagne Light had requested.

 

Light’s eyes followed Ryuzaki out of the tub, staring hard at the marks that were apparent on his flushed skin. Scratches down his stomach, a handprint around his neck...It made him twitch under the water, and when Ryuzaki wandered into the next room, Light got out of the tub for a moment to check out his back in the mirror. He whispered softly to himself, “Damn….” It was pretty marked up, nothing deep or that couldn’t be hidden thankfully, but looked….well, he didn’t know what other than he _really_ liked it. He slipped back into the tub, hearing Ryuzaki ordering from the next room and mouth watering as he realized again how hungry he was.

 

Pausing by the cupboards, L called out, “Light? Would you like glasses for the champagne?” He pulled one cupboard open, fingers hovering in front of the shelf as he waited for an answer. _Probably, if we decide not to use them later, at least we’ll have them…_

 

When Ryuzaki asked if he wanted glasses for the champagne, Light shot a horrified look at the door, and the gasp that ensued could probably be heard from across the suite. “Ryuzaki?!! Are you serious? You can’t drink Dom Perignon like some cheap soda!” He sighed, closing his eyes and laughing softly to himself. _Is he serious or just trying to get a rise out of me? I can’t tell._ Deliberately, “Yes, glasses if you please.” Light rubbed his eyes, wondering how someone who didn’t blink at _paying_ for such luxuries didn’t know how to enjoy them properly. Quieter, to himself, “I mean...you wouldn’t even be able to admire all the bubbles, or the golden hue....and how would we toast? Just pass it back and forth? Oh my god….” But it was endearing too, almost childlike that Light would know anything more than he did.

 

Another thought struck Light and he stood up abruptly in the tub with a splash. “Do...do you need me to open it?” _Oh no...it would be a disaster if he doesn’t know how._ He didn’t even bother grabbing a towel, just ran into the kitchen soaking wet to see Ryuzaki fiddling with the top of the bottle. “W-wait! Oh god please let me….”

 

L stared wide eyed as Light ran into the kitchen, dripping water all over the floor and looking utterly panicked. “Uh… okay?” He handed the bottle over to Light hesitantly, secretly relieved. _It would have been embarrassing if I spilled any… or got it all over me._ “I mean… if you know how, then by all means. I’ve only ever seen it done in movies, so I can’t say I’ve mastered the technique.” He turned away to pull the requested glasses down and closed the cupboard, glancing back at Light again and admiring the way he looked, all dripping wet and marked up.

 

“Do you… are you done in the tub, or did you just rush in here to make sure I wouldn’t do something stupid?” L asked, voice somewhat breathless as he forced himself to look back up at Light’s face, inching closer now. He couldn’t decide if that thought was more insulting or amusing. _Amusing. Just go with that. You don’t know what you’re doing when it comes to alcohol, anyway._

 

Light sucked his bottom lip in, looking down at the puddle forming under him. He’d just ran in to save the life of the champagne and forgotten about the rest. He smiled sheepishly, taking the bottle and the glasses from Ryuzaki with a wet peck on the cheek. “Of course I figured you could do it.” _No, after your question about glasses being optional I knew you couldn’t._ “I just wanted to help is all. There’s something quite fun about opening it, so if you don’t mind…” _Please don’t make $700 puddles too, my heart couldn’t take it._

 

The sheepish smile on Light’s face was adorable, even if L could tell that he was _lying_ . It was obvious Light didn’t think he could do it. _Just want to help, my ass. Just tell me the truth, silly, I can take it._ “Oh, uh… we should probably expect food shortly, so we shouldn’t spend _too_ long in there, in any case.” _Much as I might want to._

 

Light headed back for bathroom, calling over his shoulder, “Well, I’m getting back in. Just leave the door unlocked and have room service leave the cart if they come in. Maybe they’ll clean up the puddle too.” Light giggled at that, but Ryuzaki was paying a pretty penny for this place, least they could do was that. _I’m doing what I want to._

 

Rolling his eyes a little, L said dryly, “Just go, I’ll make sure the door is unlocked.” He turned towards the door, murmuring to himself, “It’s not like I would be offended…” He quickly followed Light into the bathroom after checking the door, and climbed back in with him, leaning forward to kiss him briefly before settling back to watch his little demonstration with great curiosity.

 

Light set the glasses and bottle on the edge of the tub before sliding back in, then carefully peeled back the foil around the top of the bottle. “Look, there’s a cork under this wire cage thing, but you have to take that off first or the top will break off.” He untwisted the wire and wiggled the cage off, chucking it towards the wastebasket. “Hold the top away from you as you really slowly twist the cork out, it will pop and spew champagne if you do it too fast.” He smiled at Ryuzaki and twisted it out gradually, letting the built-up carbon dioxide seep out so there wasn’t an explosion. The cork gave way with a soft pop, and he poured the golden liquid into tilted flutes before handing one to Ryuzaki. “There. Now you know how to do it next time.” Light took a glass too, holding it up to admire it. “I guess the proper thing to do is toast to something.” He met Ryuzaki’s eyes, “To trying anything once?”

 

 _How in the hell does he know how to do this?_ “Oh, so you aren’t _supposed_ to let it explode everywhere? The movies _lied_ to me?” L’s tone was overly bland, and he tried to hide his smile at the look Light gave him. His flushed cheeks were a little more conspicuous. When the teen handed him one of the champagne flutes, L took it, smiling as he watched the bubbles floating to the top, swirling the liquid around in the glass. “Very impressive, Light. You have a lot of... interesting skills.” Tilting his head a bit in thought, he finally nodded at Light’s toast and added, “And… to taking chances.” _To us_ , he thought privately, cheeks flushing a little more. _And to this maybe not being the only time I get to spend with you like this._ His own private toast done, L eyed the glass, took a breath and took a tentative sip. His lips curled up into a small smile and he lifted his eyes to Light’s again as he said, surprised, “I like it. It’s sweet.”

 

Light wondered if the faint blush on Ryuzaki’s cheeks was due to the warmth of the water or some other kind of warmth, not thinking too hard about it before accepting the answer he wanted to believe. He clinked his glass to Ryuzaki’s, “Agreed.” He tossed his wet bangs out of his eyes and took a sip, humming in approval as the carbonation danced on his tongue. “Oh that’s delicious.” It was sweet but not overly so, but seemed enough for Ryuzaki to approve of. “I’m glad you like it. Have you never tried alcohol at all or just champagne?”

 

L smiled softly, ducking his head in embarrassment. “I… no. I’ve never had anything alcoholic to drink before. Couldn’t afford to, with my line of work, and...” _The thought of being impaired and missing something important on a case… I couldn’t deal with that._ “I’ve always been curious, but… I never really felt the need to go drinking on my days off, so I guess I just never got around to it.”

 

Light  listened with interest as to why Ryuzaki had never tried alcohol, lighting a fire of curiosity in his mind. It was a familiar reason and he’d certainly gone to fewer high school parties and drank much less since finding the notebook. Never to excess, usually just a polite drink to be social. He didn’t want to pry and ask probing questions though, not yet anyway. It was more fun to let the mystery unfold and see if perhaps he could guess once all this was over. _Do I want this to be over?_

 

He was tempted to drain the glass right away and pour some more, but that would probably be a bad idea on an empty stomach. “I guess opening champagne is an odd skill for someone who can’t even drink to know. But my Dad sometimes has to go to fancy galas or charity events, and I’ve gone with him a few times. Most of the people there bored me to tears but…” He took another sip, remembering being shuffled around the room like a prize pig, keeping quiet before finally slipping away. “...well, I guess I prefer to go watch the bartender. Making drinks was kind of like chemistry, or performance even.” He laughed, thinking of how amazed he’d been when the bartender had even opened one bottle with a sword--too daring for Light to try. “Anyway, I tend to pick things up quickly. I hope that doesn’t sound like bragging.”

 

L took another sip and shifted in the tub until he was submerged up to his neck, closing his eyes and just enjoying the feel of hot water soaking into him. Light’s talk about his father piqued his interest and he cracked one eye open to see the way the teen’s face lit up at whatever memory he was thinking of. “Mmm, no, it doesn’t sound like bragging. I’m the same way. I’ve picked things up through observation many times.” _Like picking up capoeira watching YouTube._

 

Light shifted in the tub to lie against the back of it, blithely pouring some more champagne in his cup and empty stomach be damned. He was more interested in exactly what kinds of ‘chances’ Ryuzaki was interested in taking per his toast. _Did he mean kinky stuff in bed, or taking a chance on each other? I hope both._ “I have a feeling that you have a few interesting skills you’re not sharing.I hope you won’t keep them secret forever.”

 

“I suppose… I mean, that’s how I learned to tie cherry stems with my tongue…” That admission sounded boastful to his ears, even though Light had already reaped some of the so-called _benefits_ of that particular skill, but it still made L blush to say it out loud. _Why am I embarrassed NOW? I suppose that goes hand in hand with… no, I’m not sure I’m ready to share THAT little ‘interesting skill’ with him yet..._

 

Light grinned as he raised an intrigued eyebrow, “You can tie cherry stems with your tongue? Now this I _have_ to see. Not that I’m surprised given, well…” He trailed off as he took a sip from his cup, eyes never leaving Ryuzaki’s as he reached out his foot and stroked up Ryuzaki’s leg under the bathwater.

 

 _Should have seen if they had anything with cherries,_ L thought, smiling shyly at Light’s interest. He’d just have to demonstrate some other time. It was odd for him to have someone so interested in _him_ , for a change, usually any interest in him was due to his work, or people trying to find out the man behind the persona. The feeling of toes rubbing up L’s leg distracted him from his train of thought, thankfully, even if it made him blush even harder, clutching the glass to him and nearly draining it. “That makes it sound like you don’t want tonight to be _it_ ,” L pointed out softly, not daring to look at Light just yet and only the hint of a smile on his face. _I hope I don’t look too eager._ “Or am I just hearing what I want to hear?” _Wow. I guess my mouth isn’t communicating with my brain at ALL tonight. Just go ahead and spill all your secrets, why don’t you._

 

Ryuzaki had some probing questions of his own, as if he could see into Light’s mind to what he was actually thinking about. Light stared a moment, considering how to answer the question he’d been agonizing over all night. “It’s a bad idea, but…no, I don’t want tonight to be it.” _You’ve let me ask for the things I want thus far, indulged me._ “I want to see you again.” He blushed at the bald admission but there was no reason to fight it anymore. _Not true, there’s every reason except my selfishness. But he wants it too, so is it ok?_ “If you want to. But…” He shifted uncomfortably, knowing that if they did do this it couldn’t be in the open. “...my family presents an issue. I’m not sure how they’d react to this.” He didn’t want Ryuzaki think he was ashamed of him or of dating him, but his situation as a high school student living at home presented certain social realities. “As long as you don’t mind being discreet, at least until I leave high school, then I’d like to take a chance.” And truthfully, the idea of having a secret forbidden relationship with an older mysterious (and kinky as hell) man was thrilling to him.

 

“Of _course_ I want to, Light,” L murmured, heart racing. “It’s all I can think about tonight.” A pause, a soft laugh, “Okay, not _all_.” But hearing Light say outright that he wanted to see him again… L couldn’t stop the elated smile from spreading across his face. It didn’t matter if Light wanted to keep him a secret for now, he had already suspected as much, the only thing that mattered was that they were both on the same page.

 

Without thinking about it, L poured himself some more champagne as well, and then paused. Considering the way he was saying things he didn’t mean to say, maybe drinking more was not the way to go. But on the other hand… His eyes lingered on his glass for a moment, then flickered to the bottle and back to Light, lingering on his throat and then tracing his gaze down the teen’s chest. _I’ve already got a track record of getting him dirty with my… fixation. I wonder if he’d let me do the same with…_  “Or, then, if we’re taking chances… maybe you’ll let me be an uncultured heathen for a bit longer and let me…” Leaning forward, L let his breath blow across Light’s neck gently before whispering, “- lick champagne off of you. Maybe.”

 

Light smiled as Ryuzaki leaned forward, shivered at the warm breath on his neck whispering what he wanted to do. “Oh I wouldn’t deny you anything.” His eyes flicked from Ryuzaki’s mouth to his eyes, and there was truth there, anything he wanted with Light he could have. Light brought his cup between them, purposefully tipping it so a thin stream of golden bubbly liquid trickled down his chest. “Oops.”

 

Light’s admission about wanting to take a chance on him had been the fire that lit the fuse, and as L hovered over Light, hands clutching the edge of the tub, hearing those words ( _I wouldn’t deny you anything_ ) was the fuel to make the blaze burn hotter. The sound that left him was almost _desperately_ wanting, and before he could lose the champagne trickling down Light’s chest to the water, he dipped his head and pressed his mouth to the teen’s skin and sucked away the sweet liquid. “You spoil me,” L whispered, licking and sucking at Light’s skin until he’d gotten everything, and then he moved higher, nipping now at Light’s neck as he reached up blindly to stroke his fingers against the teen’s chest. _Please don’t change your mind, I’ll take whatever you’ll let me have_.

 

Light’s fingers threaded through Ryuzaki’s hair, encouraging that mouth against his skin. He let his head fall back on the edge of the tub with a soft groan, and all hesitation to take the chance he wanted was fleeing now. His main concern was keeping all this a secret but he was used to that, wasn’t he? Keeping others in the dark was second nature to him, even people very close to him. And something told him that Ryuzaki had secrets of his own, was also used to hiding certain things given the way he artfully dodged questions he didn’t like. _You keep your secrets and I’ll keep mine, and we’ll share the space between them._

 

He closed his eyes, focusing on Ryuzaki’s touch alone. “I may not be rich but...I’ll spoil you in other ways, I want to.” Light’s talents at convincing weren’t limited to other people, and he was starting to believe that this was even what he _needed,_ something to blow of steam and drown the pressure and stress that wound him tighter each day.

 

 _Fumbling hands, romantic words, and champagne. I am living the cliche I just mocked._ “You don’t have to be rich to spoil me,” L murmured against Light’s neck, pulling back to smile at him. He let out a huff of breath and leaned back in, cradling Light’s jaw as he trailed his mouth up and down his neck, pressing more insistent nips to his skin, testing, _tasting._ “You spoil me just by being here. You give me something no-one else ever has before.” _Affection, touch, acceptance._ He flicked his tongue against Light’s earlobe, giggling softly at the reaction he got before pressing a gentle bite to Light’s jaw and pulling back with wide, shining eyes.

 

Light looked back up, moving his hand from the man’s hair to his shoulder and tracing his fingertips there. “It’s unusual for me to connect with anyone. You’ll have to be…” Light felt self-conscious but it was better to warn him. “...a little patient with me. If I seem closed.” But enough of that. He didn’t feel very closed with Ryuzaki at the moment.

 

Light’s fingers tracing against L’s shoulder sent a light shiver through him, and he smiled, recognizing himself in the teen’s words. “I will warn you… I’m not normally a very patient man,” he said softly in response. “But I’ll do my best, if you do the same for me. I’m not… usually very good with people. I don’t really tend to follow social norms or rules, and I know that probably… confuses you, just like it does everyone else.” His face warmed at that, and he looked down, fingers idly stroking up and down Light’s chest.

 

Taking a small sip of champagne, Light held it in his mouth and kissed Ryuzaki, letting them share something neither of them should have—for one reason or another—but would take anyway. L let out a soft sound into the kiss as he pressed closer, shifting until they were pressing skin to skin in the water.


	8. Mirrormasks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The masks they wear continue to be torn away, bit by bit.

Light was enjoying the kiss and the feel of Ryuzaki’s wet skin against him so much that it took the doorbell ringing twice and then a heavy knock on the door to make him pull away.  _ The food.  _ He laughed softly, pressing his forehead to Ryuzaki’s, “Fuck. I hoped they’d just come in and leave it.” The knocking started up again, banging more insistently this time. Light sighed, reluctantly shifting Ryuzaki off his lap and standing up to get out. His eyes flicked to the handprint around the man’s neck, unable to keep from smirking. “I guess I’m in a better state to answer that.” Not really though, given the erection that was standing out from his body. He giggled at it, shrugging as he wrapped a towel tightly around his waist. “Not much better, but good enough.”

 

Damn it. L had been enjoying himself. He sent a disgruntled glare towards the bathroom door, only to be distracted when Light shifted him off his lap. That brief glance to his neck made him blink, and he could feel his face flushing at the implications. “I’m not sure you can hide  _ that _ , Light,” he said softly, his gaze lingering appreciatively on Light’s erection and pouting when he covered it up. “Damn. I sit corrected. I was enjoying the view.”

  
  


Light walked to the front door, looking through the peephole to make sure it really was room service.  _ God, wouldn’t want it to be my Dad or some detective on the other side.  _ Satisfied, he opened the door a crack and put on his most congenial smile. “Yes, thank you. Just leave it there, no need to bring it in.” His apparent state of undress through the crack in the door was enough for the hotel attendant to get the message and scurry away. Light waited until he was gone and checked the hall before bringing the cart inside and shutting the door behind him. He laughed and called out, “Ryuzaki, I think I may have scandalized the hotel.” 

  
  


Light’s exit was L’s cue to scramble out of the tub as well, making sure to grab the bottle and glasses so as not to spill, and he went to the mirror to see what Light had been staring at.  _ Holy shit. _ He set the champagne down with suddenly shaking fingers, reaching up to trace over the bruises standing out starkly against his skin. He’d already noticed the scratches Light had left down his stomach, but… truth be told, he didn’t normally bother to look at himself in the mirror any longer than necessary. “Wow,” he whispered, a shiver of arousal going through him as he turned a little, breathing heavier, trying to see how far around his neck the bruises extended. “I wasn’t expecting  _ that _ .”

  
  


L was so transfixed by the image he made that when Light called to him, he actually jumped a little in surprise. “Scandalized because you’re the very picture of sex,  _ obviously _ ,” he called back, clutching at the edge of the vanity for a moment. 

  
  


Light was still grinning when he pushed the cart into the bedroom, fully planning on being absolutely lazy and eating in bed. “Smells divine though.” He lifted the metallic covers and set them aside, placing the trays of food on the enormous bed for them. “Could you bring the rest of the champagne too?” He was nearly giddy, all this fun and luxury and...someone to share it with for the first time. Jokingly, “Come quick or I’m eating your dessert and then I really will never see you again.” 

  
  


L hurried over to the tub to pull the plug and immediately went to dry off again. “I wasn’t going to forget the champagne, give me a sec. Don’t touch my dessert!”  _ If you want some, I want to feed it to you. _ That thought made him smile. He glanced once more at himself in the mirror before swallowing hard and grabbing the champagne, emerging into the bedroom with a sheepish smile. 

  
  


Of course, Light wasn’t really going to touch Ryuzaki’s dessert, he had a feeling he’d be drawing back a stump if he tried. He laid down on the bed and smiled as he saw Ryuzaki emerge naked from the bathroom, and patted the bed beside him for him to join. “Don’t worry, no fallen soldiers. I wouldn’t  _ dare _ .” He moved the tray of the flounder and Mont Blanc closer to Ryuzaki, turning on his stomach. 

  
  


L commented, “By the way… I didn’t realize you were going to be so blatant in marking me up. I  _ should _ be mad. But… instead, I just want you to do it again.”

  
  


Light gave him a devious look. “I hope you don’t expect me to apologize, although it’s your own fault really for having such pale skin.” He was teasing, a smile spreading across his face as he traced the handprint with a fingertip. “It looks amazingly sexy if you ask me.”  _ Marking you makes me feel like I own you, in some small way. And I definitely want to do it again. _

  
  


“Did I ask you to apologize?” L asked, setting the glasses aside as he clambered onto the bed, hovering halfway between his customary crouch and resting on his knees. The bed was so soft, he didn’t think he’d be able to keep his balance if he sat the way he usually did, so he finally shifted to sit with his legs crossed in his favourite meditation pose. “And it’s not  _ my _ fault, blame it on my crappy English genes.” He picked up the tray and brought it to his lap, picking up the fish fork delicately and tearing a piece off, holding it like a pointer as he added, “Even if I  _ wanted _ to, I couldn’t build up a tan for the life of me. I burn like a lobster. You’ll have to be content with my ghostly complexion.” He popped the piece of fish into his mouth and chewed, trying not to smirk. Swallowing, he said in a more serious, soft voice, “But… I’m glad  _ you _ think it’s sexy. I can’t imagine  _ this _ -” He gestured to the handprint, “-is going to endear me to my… coworkers.”

  
  


Light tore his eyes from Ryuzaki’s neck, looking down at the delectable dish in front of him. Reverently, “I’m going to savor every bite of this.” There were Western utensils but Light still preferred chopsticks, picking up a thin slice of the beef and placing it on his tongue. It was so tender it nearly melted in his mouth, and he couldn’t help but whine slightly obscenely in response. “Incredible.” 

  
  


L’s gaze slid to his dessert longingly for a moment as he ate another bite of fish. Honestly, he’d only ordered it because he knew from experience that eating sugar alone and trying to do a lot of intense physical activity never mixed well, and fish was one of the few meats he actually enjoyed.  _ And this is particularly good. I might need to find the recipe they use... _ He snapped out of his reverie immediately upon hearing that  _ whine _ from Light, and L turned wide eyes to watch the teen savour his own dish. 

  
  


Light picked up another slice, holding it out to share with Ryuzaki, if he wanted to try it. “I know it’s not sweet, but Wagyu is a delicacy of Japan. If you haven’t tried it before, maybe give it a shot?” It was clear that Ryuzaki wasn’t a cultural native despite his near-flawless Japanese, and there was something fun about introducing him to some of the best things about Japan for the first time.  _ And my first time too.  _ “I’ll share the dessert too, in case you’re worried.”

  
  


“Oh… no, I haven’t tried it.” L hesitated a moment, and smiled slightly. “Sure, I’ll try it... One piece won’t hurt.” He leaned forward to take it, blinking at the taste. It was good, but… “I don’t know, I think I’d like it better with something sweet.” With a smile, L leaned in to kiss Light, swiping his tongue against the teen’s lips teasingly before pulling away. “Mmm, much better.” He straightened up, reaching back to snag one of the glasses and handing it to Light. “I’m glad you like it. Makes it all worth it.”

  
  


Light chuckled at the apparent lack of interest Ryuzaki had in anything lacking sugar, but he didn’t mind it.  _ We all have our preferences, and it's his life.  _ Plus, it was an excuse to indulge in another brief kiss, so he definitely wasn’t complaining. He took the glass of champagne, sipping it as he sighed happily and looked at L’s neck appreciatively. “Well, your coworkers will just have to get over it, or you could just wear a turtleneck for a few days. It looks stark now but the bruise isn’t that bad.”  _ I wonder who his coworkers are?  _ He peered closer to look, tilting his head. It wasn’t deep or severe, just bright against ivory skin. “I would say that your skin is beautiful, but you don’t take compliments well, do you?” His tone wasn’t unkind, merely trying to ascertain why it was that every time he’d tried to say something nice about how Ryuzaki looked he got looks or words of disbelief. He gave Ryuzaki a genuine smile as he continued to eat his meal, each bite an absolute delight.

  
  


L blushed at Light’s question.  _ Shit. I was hoping he wouldn’t ask about that. _ He looked down, choosing instead to answer with, “Would you believe that I don’t… actually  _ own _ any turtlenecks?” Glancing back up, he sent Light a sheepish smile before stuffing more food into his mouth. Maybe if he just kept his mouth full, Light wouldn’t ask him again. At least for a  _ little _ while, he had the feeling Light was going to demand an answer sooner or later.  _ It’s not that I don’t LIKE the compliments, doesn’t he see that I do? _ He reached for his own glass of champagne, drinking it perhaps a little quicker than was wise as he speared the last bite of fish, bringing it to his mouth before pausing. Glancing at Light again, he looked down at the fork and then extended it towards Light. “Did you… want to try mine? It would be remiss of me not to offer, since you shared  _ yours _ .” Really, it was the thought that counted.

  
  


Light leaned forward to politely sample Ryuzaki’s fish, nodding in approval at the delicate flavors. But his curiosity was getting the better of him, and maybe it was the champagne too lowering his inhibitions. So when he finally set his empty plate aside and turned to his dessert, Ryuzaki was starting to look like a much better plate for his green tea mousse. It looked devastatingly good, from the visual presentation to aroma, it was clear this would be a dessert to remember. “I have an idea.” Light scooped up a small bite of the dessert, letting it hover temptingly in front of Ryuzaki’s lips.  _ Surely he must want a little taste. _

  
  


The way Light was looking at him right then made him swallow hard, and after a moment, L set his tray aside, placing his now empty glass on it as he tilted his head in curiosity. “What idea-” he started to ask, only to cut himself off when Light waved the spoon in front of his mouth. The mousse smelled delicious, and he licked his lips, leaning forward to take it, only for Light to pull it back. “Wait-” 

  
  


“You answer a question and I…” Light pushed Ryuzaki back onto the bed and stroked the mousse-covered spoon over his chest. “I use you as a plate.” Light giggled with mischief, it was really a win-win situation for him but he thought Ryuzaki might enjoy it too. “I’ll return the favor if you’re  _ good _ .”

  
  


L was suddenly  _ glad _ he’d moved his tray, because when Light pushed him down, he found himself gasping a little at the feel of the mousse against his skin. It almost tickled. Licking his lips, clenching his toes surreptitiously into the sheets, L stared up at the teen with hungry eyes. “Define  _ good _ , and I’ll play.” He was going to enjoy the hell out of this, wasn’t he?

  
  


Light crawled up Ryuzaki’s body, smirking down at him as he surveyed the line of mousse trailing down his chest. Settling lower, he whispered, “Well  _ good _ means you answer my questions of course. And I’ll let you do the same to me if you play.” He bent down and licked at a tiny bit of mousse of Ryuzaki’s lower stomach, just enough to give him the incentive to play Light’s game. He hovered opened-mouthed over the rest of it, grinning with the anticipation of licking it all up in one long swipe.  _ But not until I get something.  _ Light considered the myriad questions he wanted to know, but most of them would probably just end in uncomfortable dodging and ruin the moment.  _ Hmm.  _ “Tell me what you think about when you jerk off.”  _ Evil, but not something he can dodge for a real reason other than embarrassment.  _ He leaned down closer to Ryuzaki’s skin, blowing on it to encourage him. 

  
  


_ Oh god, of all the things he could have asked. _ L stared at Light in surprise, trying to disguise the shivers that were going through him at the way Light was teasing him, fingers clenching and unclenching in the sheets. He really, honestly didn’t know how to answer that question, because it wasn’t like there was ever any  _ one _ thing he focused on… except.  _ Oh god. How can I spin this without giving away who I am? Why does he want to know? _ Licking his lips, face heating up, L glanced away and took a deep breath to try to calm himself down somewhat. “Um. I don’t really… think about the same thing twice, usually. The… themes are usually similar, though.”  _ Am I really going to answer this? _ If he didn’t, Light would probably be disappointed and might not let him indulge anymore.

  
  


“It’s probably why your profile intrigued me in the first place. I… I’ve always wanted.. always see myself tied up in some way. Chains, rope, clothing, doesn’t matter what. But bound, on my knees, gagged, waiting for someone to release me or use me.” L’s voice was nothing more than a harsh whisper at this point, hesitant, squeezing his eyes shut tightly for a moment and squirming as he tried to recall the sensations and the images.  _ I always get like this on cases, but recently, it’s been so much more frequent. Maybe because this case has been so much more challenging?  _ He licked his lips again, choosing his words carefully as he continued, “The person on the other end is never more than a vague idea, impressions more than an actual face, and most of the time, it’s... like they’re someone trying to win some game with me. They never do, whether I’m tied up or not. I don’t know. That’s… probably not what you were even looking for.” L opened his eyes to look at Light, trying to get his harsh breathing back under control.

  
  


Light’s eyes had grown to the size of unblinking moons by the time Ryuzaki finished answering his question, and for a moment all he could hear were the sounds of both their heavy breathing.  _ Holy shit.  _ He’d never heard something that had aroused him so much in his entire life, his erection throbbing against the bed as he pressed into it hard. Vivid mental images of Ryuzaki bound and gagged on his knees flashed through his mind and Light wanted,  _ needed _ to fuck him just like that, hands around his throat...loosened to hear his begs to come...using that lithe body until Light was unable to climax anymore. A shiver of arousal went through him and he whispered, “Oh fuck…”  _ Did I just win the lottery today or what?  _ He swallowed and looked back down at the mousse, dipping his tongue in it and licking slowly up Ryuzaki’s body, taking his time to enjoy both the taste of sugar and skin. “You don’t realize what that just did to me…” Wondering how such pale, pretty flesh would mark under tight ropes, how that talented mouth would look with a gag muffling moans. If he could make Ryuzaki cry from the pleasure of denial and then ultimate release, how such tears would taste. 

  
  


Seeing the way Light looked at him after that admission was an even bigger turn on than simply  _ recalling _ those twisted fantasies had been, and L found himself writhing under Light’s mouth, sucking in a hissing breath as anticipation curled through him.  _ I think I have a pretty good idea what that just did to you, Light. _ L hadn’t thought Light would be quite  _ that _ kinky, and despite himself, that was the only thing he had ever been ashamed about - but it clearly pushed Light’s buttons just like it pushed every one of  _ his _ .  _ And now I know you like to be the one tying people UP. How do we fit so damn WELL?  _

  
  


Light’s fingers were digging into the bed as he held himself up and he practically growled into the man’s chest, “I want to do that to you.” 

  
  


Reaching up, L tangled his fingers into Light’s hair, letting the teen do what he wanted but needing to hold on tight to something as he whispered, “I want you to do it to me, too.  _ Fuck _ , I didn’t think… I wasn’t sure I could  _ ask _ for  _ that _ .”

  
  


Light almost added that he wanted to do it  _ right now,  _ nearly said  _ I’m going to do that to you. _ But that tempting Mont Blanc was sitting right next to Ryuzaki’s shoulder and of course Light knew he wanted that most of all.  _ Well, it’s about to get eaten up right fucking now.  _ He swiped a finger through the hazelnut dessert, collecting a nice big glob, and pressed it into Ryuzaki’s mouth, leaving his finger there to be sucked clean. “Eat it.” Light’s eyes were full of intensity as he stared a moment, then bent his head to lick across Ryuzaki’s collarbone, unable to keep from biting it hard then soothing the pain away with his tongue. He pulled his finger from Ryuzaki’s mouth, stroking his tongue on the way out, and another bit of dessert was collected and pressed back inside. 

  
  


L let out a slightly hysterical giggle when Light pressed dessert covered fingers into his mouth, and let out a low, delighted moan around Light’s fingers, sucking away every bit of the decadent dessert. Another hiss left him when teeth sank into his collarbone, and he slowly felt his body unclench from the pleasant sensation. “ _ Fuck _ , you are everything I’ve ever wanted,” he moaned, wrapping his lips around Light’s fingers again when he brought them up, giving the teen an eager nod.

  
  


Light’s mouth moved lower, trailing licks and bites to a pink nipple and circling it with his tongue to bring it erect. Lips closed around the nub and sucked, and he moaned softly around it as he throbbed against the bed again. Pausing to look up, “Will you let me make that fantasy a reality?” 

  
  


Nipping at Light’ fingers sharply, L tugged his hand away before saying in a low voice, “Only if you  _ really  _ want it as much as I do.” L’s eyes flashed with desire and he hooked one foot around the back of Light’s thigh, making the attempt to tug Light against him. He just wanted to feel skin on his again. 

  
  


Light laughed low as he felt Ryuzaki’s teeth, grinning at the mischief in those eyes, the raw lust mirroring his own desire. His cock was dripping wet with precum as he let himself be pressed down again, skin to sticky skin. Light shifted his hips to let him feel how hard all of this was making him, “Oh I want it….I want  _ you.  _ Just like  _ that. _ ”

  
  


L’s voice lowered until it was something guttural, raw need laced all through it, “And I have never wanted  _ anything _ more than I want you to tie me to this bed and take whatever you want.”

  
  


Light’s hands found Ryuzaki’s and he intertwined their fingers, pinning them to the bed above his head. Light kissed him hard, sliding against him a few teasing times before moving up to his knees without breaking the kiss or his grip. Power was always such an intense aphrodisiac and all this-- _ Ryuzaki-- _ was so perfectly slotting into what he craved, he nearly felt inside some wet dream that he’d wake up from. 

  
  


_ He loves to be in control, doesn’t he? And all I’ve ever wanted is to be able to let GO of control for once _ , L thought, nearly whining from the stimulation, and the way Light was playing right into everything he had said he wanted. It was absolutely  _ exhilarating _ .

  
  


Light finally broke the kiss and gasped for air, pulling his hands away and turning to yank the belt of his bathrobe free. He wished he had ropes and chains like in Ryuzaki’s fantasy but this would have to suffice for now. Looking back down with a smirk as he toyed with the length of cloth, “Are you going to fight me?”  _ Would it scare you to know I want to see you try?  _ Before Ryuzaki could respond or struggle, Light sat in a straddle on his waist and quickly wrapped the belt around the man’s wrists, lashing it tightly to the headboard behind. It wasn’t so tight that Ryuzaki couldn’t get out if he panicked or changed his mind, but would hold well enough. 

  
  


Before L could even catch his breath to try to answer Light’s question, he found himself gasping, arching up against the teen as he straddled him, and the sensation of cloth tightening around his wrists sent a frisson of lust through him. “ _ Jesus _ , Light,” he moaned, tugging experimentally against the bonds and thrilled when they held.

  
  


Light cupped Ryuzaki’s face, directing the man’s eyes upwards as a thumb stroked along his bottom lip. “It’s a dangerous thing to tell me to take whatever I want. Because I  _ will _ do it, Ryuzaki.” He pulled his hand away and slapped him lightly across the face, nothing close to leaving a mark or even enough to sting.  _ Just a test of his reaction.  _ “So filthy aren’t you...chasing after someone so much younger than you? Forcing him to play out all your perverted kinks. For  _ shame. _ ”

  
  


Another moan left L at that light slap, and he gave Light a challenging look, eyes flashing wildly.  _ Oh, so we’re going to play THIS game? _ L grinned wickedly at Light, pointing out in a breathlessly smug voice, “If I recall correctly,  _ you _ were the one who immediately went to their knees for me. And took complete advantage of the offer to fuck my mouth.” 

  
  


Light grinned knowingly because he certainly wasn’t being forced into a damn thing. He leaned to lick and nip at Ryuzaki’s bound hands, tracing his tongue against where the binding met his wrist. 

  
  


A shudder went through L when he felt wet tongue against his wrists, pulling another groan from him as he panted out, “And I don’t think you would change any of it,  _ would _ you? You’re just as filthy as  _ I _ am.” 

  
  


Whispering, “And how should such a hentai be punished?” Light reached over to swipe another bit of dessert, rising to his knees as he loomed above the bound man with his cock right in his face. “So many ideas come to mind.” He stroked the sugary mess down his cock, leaving more just under the head where he wanted the most of Ryuzaki’s mouth. Smiling, he licked his fingers clean and eased his coated member into Ryuzaki’s mouth, “Show me what you do to those cherries. But don’t you  _ dare  _ come without permission.” He reached behind and stroked his wet fingers over Ryuzaki’s cock, squeezing once before gripping very loosely. If he wanted any stimulation, he’d have to fuck up into Light’s hand.

 

  
L’s eyes widened as he watched Light smear dessert all over his cock, and his gaze flickered to Light’s as he laughed softly, letting his mouth fall open obediently to take it.  _ I thought he was ‘punishing’ me _ , he thought, those words sending a pulse of want through him as he moaned, swirling his tongue around the head and teasing along the underside of Light’s cock in intricate little patterns. He would have done this with or  _ without _ the added incentive of licking the hazelnut cream off of Light’s cock, but  _ this _ way, he got to enjoy both.  _ It tastes SO good on him.  _ For a long moment, he was content to indulge the teen, recreating all the steps he usually took with his cherry stem trick, enjoying the sounds coming from him.  _ This seems more like a reward than a ‘punishment’, _ L reflected, hollowing his cheeks for better suction as he took Light in deep, swallowing around him as much as he could and breathing out harshly as he bucked up shallowly into Light’s hand.

  
  


Light’s eyes fluttered shut as all sensation in his body narrowed to focus on exactly what Ryuzaki’s mouth was doing. He moaned as he warred between the compulsion to snap his hips forward deeper down the throat he knew would take it, and not wanting to move a goddamn inch while that tongue was flicking against him. Panting hard, “Oh...oh  _ fuck  _ that’s good…”  _ Truly this is wasted on cherries. I’ll never look at one again without blushing.  _ But he  _ had _ to watch, had to see it and remember it for later when he was the one jerking off to Ryuzaki’s secondhand fantasy, now his. 

  
  


Light’s free hand slipped into Ryuzaki’s hair and clenched, smiling down at him as he finally slid in deeper, all the way in. “Yes…”  _ Take it all.  _ “I’m just as filthy as you.” He slid back out and brought Ryuzaki’s face to meet his thrust. “It’s why we seem to fit so well, isn’t it?” Light felt Ryuzaki buck into his hand and he grabbed his cock, massaging it just for a moment before releasing back to his loose grip. He started up a lazy rhythm of deep thrusts, moaning as each one hit the back of Ryuzaki’s throat, but not so fast as he’d come. Just enjoying it, taking his pleasure and relishing in the control. His hips wanted to move faster as the tension built, and he finally pulled out with a near-sob right when he was on the brink. “Not yet….” Light panted as he waited for it to pass, holding Ryuzaki’s head away as his cock bobbed in front of his lips.

  
  


When L had made the offer for Light to use his mouth the first time, he  _ really _ hadn’t expected to like the rough treatment so much. And now that Light was in his mouth  _ again _ , he found himself thinking,  _ I could do this all night and be happy. _ Truly, his fantasies had never included so  _ much _ dick in his mouth, but all things considered, he  _ really _ shouldn’t have been surprised, letting out soft sounds of pleasure every now and then as Light set a lazy rhythm. Light’s loose grip around his cock felt good, but didn’t provide  _ near _ as much friction as he wanted, and by the time Light pulled out of his mouth, he was nearly  _ sobbing _ for more stimulation. 

  
  


Light exhaled hard, releasing Ryuzaki’s hair and moving lower, scraping his nails down his sides as he shifted to plant a single kiss at the tip of Ryuzaki’s cock. He smiled as he tasted saltiness and rubbed his face and nose lightly against it, “Such a slut for me.” 

  
  


Straining against the cloth around his hands (but not really trying to get  _ out  _ of his bondage), L shuddered, wiggling his hips and bucking up when Light kissed his cock. “Light.  _ Please _ ,” he whined desperately. He was enjoying the teasing way Light was nosing at him, but it wasn’t  _ enough _ . In fact,  _ everything _ Light was doing was driving him crazy like that - putting him on the edge and making him writhe and let out an almost agonized, drawn-out moan as he struggled to form a coherent sentence, but never enough to satisfy.

  
  


Light took the massage oil from the nightstand as he settled on his stomach between the man’s splayed legs, squirting some oil onto the fingers of one hand. A single oiled finger pressed against Ryuzaki’s perineum, sliding to circle teasingly around and around his entrance without pushing in. Light gave him a devious look through his bangs before extending his tongue flat and drawing it across Ryuzaki’s sack but extending no further. Innocently, “What do you want me to do?” He sucked a ball into his mouth and rolled it over his tongue, releasing it to lap again. “I’m afraid I just don’t know.” The tip of his finger slipped inside Ryuzaki briefly but he pulled it back out right away. Light held Ryuzaki’s gaze as his mouth moved wetly over his thigh, “I think I’m going to have to hear you say it.” Finding the place where he’d bit Ryuzaki before in his passion, he sucked at it to a deeper shade of purple before licking to soothe. 

  
  


“Oh my  _ god, please _ , Light,” L sobbed, voice pitching higher as he tried to push down on Light’s fingers, already nearly delirious from the teasing. “ _ Fuck _ \- need you, I need you-  _ haaa _ , inside me, fuck me,  _ please! _ ”  _ The only thing that could make this better would be if he were to gag me as he fucks me, _ L thought in a daze, licking his lips again and face hot as he stared down at Light.

  
  


Light got a pure thrill from seeing Ryuzaki writhing for him, begging for him, and he exhaled a satisfied breath against his thigh with a smile. Really, he had only just been getting started, but it seemed that Ryuzaki was too impatient to endure much more teasing. Light didn’t want to make him  _ actually  _ angry. And as beautiful as the words spilling from Ryuzaki’s lips were, there  _ was  _ something else he had asked for in particular.  _ A pity to silence this music but I’ll give you what you want.  _ Light sat up and took both their clean dinner napkins, knotting them together tightly to form a makeshift gag. Light dangled it in front of of Ryuzaki’s face. “I really do love hearing you moan for me. So, I suppose I’ll just have to make you moan twice as loud so I can still hear it.” He pushed the knot between Ryuzaki’s lips, tying it tightly behind his head between all that thick black hair. 

  
  


L hadn’t actually expected Light to  _ do  _ it, and his eyes were wide, mouth hanging open in aroused awe as he watched Light make the makeshift gag. “Holy  _ shit _ ,” he whispered, breathing heavily as he stared from it to Light. He didn’t protest in the slightest when Light tied it behind his head, shivering at the sensation.  _ I am keeping you _ , he thought dazedly, a muffled whine escaping him as his eyes fluttered shut for a moment.  _ This… YES, I needed this. _

 

Light sat back to admire the sight with a tilted head, “Gorgeous. What a vision you make, I wish you could see.”  _ I wish you could see, hmmm.  _ Light’s hands hovered over Ryuzaki’s bindings before undoing them and flipping the man over. He pressed a knee to his back to keep him still, leaning to whisper, “Yes, I think you  _ will _ see.” Light quickly bound Ryuzaki’s hands behind him, hoisting him up on his knees and turning him towards the large mirror above the dresser facing the bed. _ Can’t you see how sexy you look? _ Light moved behind him, wrapping his arms around Ryuzaki to draw him to his chest and kissing the bruise against his neck tenderly.  _ Probably shouldn’t make this worse. _

  
  


For the briefest of moments, L felt something in him stilling, and then Light was releasing him. The knee pressing into his back sent a thrill through him, shattering that moment of calm, and he glanced over his shoulder at Light, eyes wide and dark and utterly enthralled as the teen bound his hands behind him.  _ What does he-  _ Abruptly, L found himself unable to breathe as he came face to face with the image in the mirror.  _ So THAT’S what it looks like out of my fantasies _ . His wide eyes met Light’s in the mirror, nostrils flaring and he finally drew in a ragged breath, a full body shudder rippling through him when Light pulled him back against his chest and moaning through the gag when lips pressed against his bruised neck. 

  
  


Light’s eyes met Ryuzaki’s in the mirror as his fingers moved inside deep at last, but there was no need to prepare Ryuzaki after fucking him open before. He whispered in the man’s ear as he reached for the oil to slick himself, “Still so open for me. Are you ready?” When L nodded frantically, he positioned himself at Ryuzaki’s entrance, pushing just the tip in at first then pulling the man down as he thrust up with a shuddering gasp. 

  
  


L hadn’t thought  _ anything _ could be more erotic than watching Light’s face as the teen fucked into his mouth; he was wrong. Watching Light press his fingers into him like that, completely aside from how good it  _ felt _ , looked incredible from this angle. Light was fucking up into him, filling him completely and nearly making him come right then,  _ JESUS, I wasn’t ready for THAT. _

  
  


Light paused a moment to steel himself, gripping Ryuzaki’s cock in his still-slick hand and stroking tightly as he pulled out and pushed in again. “Remember, not without permission.” His eyes flashed in the mirror as he started to move faster, letting Ryuzaki lean back onto him as he supported his weight.

  
  


L slumped gratefully against Light for a brief moment, breathing harshly as he pulled himself back from the brink. Light was so  _ deep _ at this angle that he could tell he wouldn’t last long. He gave Light a pleading look as the teen began fucking him in earnest, hoping that he’d understand as he shuddered and moaned loudly through each thrust.  _ I can’t believe I’m getting off so HARD to watching him fuck me, this was unexpected. _

  
  


Light was panting loudly over Ryuzaki’s shoulder, watching them both in the mirror as he slid faster into that trembling body. He was grasping Ryuzaki tightly to him, yanking him down hard and angling for his prostate best he could despite feeling half frantic. He wasn’t going to be able to hold back for long like this and could sense Ryuzaki was already there and trying to keep his orgasm at bay. The wild look in his eyes, the way he was clenching around Light and shuddering, the muffled moans loud despite the gag…. _ fuck, is sex this intense for everyone or just for us?  _

  
  


He locked eyes with Ryuzaki in the mirror and rolled his hips, nails digging into his chest as he recognized something else there. His own secret fantasy reflected back at him— the one he always got off to these days,  _ these Kira days _ — of dominating his rival, making  _ him _ submit. Of  _ L _ , the one chasing him, challenging him for once in his life moaning and begging for Kira to fill him, fuck him. Light’s pupils expanded to wide blackness with that fantasy made manifest before him, grinning and gasping as he hissed, “Come” in Ryuzaki’s ear and worked his cock demanding it be so. 

  
  


L was nearly crying from the overwhelming sensations by the time Light finally hissed in his ear to ‘ _ come _ ’; everything was too  _ good _ , and the part of him that had always longed for someone to challenge him ( _ and win? _ ) was bleeding through as he finally came, voice loud even through the gag. He ground himself back down on Light’s cock and squeezed, a wave of satisfaction rolling through him as Light shot into him,  _ filled _ him.  _ You are my Kira, tonight. Fuck… I can’t tell him that’s what my fantasy is about. _

  
  


Light nearly screamed into Ryuzaki’s neck as the internal contractions squeezed him, milking his cock as it pulsed. And nothing had ever felt sweeter than filling the cold, elusive ghost of  _ L _ with warmth, feeling a flesh and blood man take him and want him in his enemy’s place. He was Kira and this was L, the mirrors of lies had broken at last and neither turned from the truth.

  
  


Light whimpered as the waves of pleasure just kept assaulting him, his forehead dropping to Ryuzaki’s shoulder and all tension fled. Breathless, “Oh my god…” He was shaking and absently kissing the skin front of his mouth, half-dazed as he released Ryuzaki’s member. A long exhale as he held Ryuzaki against him, not wanting to move or break the spell. But he knew the gags and bindings would be uncomfortable now so he forced himself to look up and pull out slowly, then shifted to undo them all. 

  
  


L came down slowly, trembling and breathless, but utterly satisfied. There was something comforting about being at the mercy of someone else, someone he felt he could trust with this, and it made him happy to just be held, bound, in Light’s arms for the moment. Happy enough that when Light eased out of him, and began untying him, he couldn’t help but pout a little. But he didn’t complain; it was clear Light was trying to keep his comfort in mind.  _ Next time. I’ll tell him next time to leave them on for a little longer _ . Still, feeling Light wrap his arms around him, stroke his skin, nuzzle into him… that was amazing, too.

  
  


Ryuzaki free, Light gently pulled him to lay down with him under the covers regardless of their filthy state. He didn’t care, couldn’t move or do anything but curl around Ryuzaki and breathe until his heart stopped hammering. “That was amazing,  _ you’re _ amazing.” He stroked soft skin and smiled dreamily, “I don’t want this night to ever end.”

  
  


“I don’t want it to end, either,” L whispered, curling onto his side when Light said that, pressing his forehead to the teen’s. “I don’t want to have to go back to the real world.”  _ I don’t want to have to go back to... catching the real Kira.  _ “I want to stay here with you. I like seeing you smile, like seeing you  _ happy _ . Why are you so  _ amazing _ , Light?” Wrapping his arms around Light, he pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek, smiling as he closed his eyes and basked in the afterglow.

  
  


Light thought he probably looked like a lovestruck idiot the way he couldn’t stop smiling, but he didn’t feel self-conscious like he normally would. It felt good to just let his actual emotions and reactions show without layering on something else, something fake. “I do feel happy.” Light laughed, unable to remember the last time he’d said that. 

  
  


When he heard that soft laugh, L opened his eyes and giggled a little at the sweet expression on Light’s face, leaning in again to press a soft kiss to his nose. “I haven’t… felt like this since I was a child,” L admitted quietly. “Content, I mean. So… I understand.”  _ And my only real companions since I was six have been fictional characters, victims of horrific crimes and Watari. Not much chance of true happiness there.  _ “Thank you. For giving me… this.” 

  
  


_ Happy... _ Light sobered slightly. “I’d forgotten what that felt like.” It was an odd distinction, the happiness he felt  _ with  _ someone, sharing an experience. So much of his real life was only lived on the inside now, and although it brought him satisfaction and happiness to be Kira, it was so solitary.  _ No one could understand it, so that doesn’t matter.  _ He did feel happy sometimes with his family, but even before he’d gotten the notebook he’d never felt able to be completely himself with them. 

  
  


That sobering comment was painful to hear, and L’s throat closed up. It wasn’t enough that his  _ own _ dark thoughts were a constant anathema to him experiencing happiness, but Light had to go through it, too?

  
  


It was late now, past midnight probably. Light was exhausted at this point but it was more of a floating relaxation, too tired to move but just fine with that. “I guess I should get all the dishes off the bed, huh…” He reluctantly sat up and moved the trays back to the cart, covering his untouched dessert in case Ryuzaki wanted it in the morning. Settling back down in the man’s arms, he sighed contentedly. It was the first time he’d ever been held like this, the first time he would fall asleep with someone not his family. 

  
  


L was grateful when Light pulled away for a moment to remove the dishes. It gave him the opportunity to compose himself as he rolled over and reluctantly set an alarm for 10 am.  _ Just in case we both sleep in _ . Realistically,  _ he  _ would probably only get a couple hours sleep, because he only ever seemed to sleep for three hours a night, tops (if he slept at  _ all _ ), but Light at least deserved to sleep in as late as he wanted. He was back under the covers before Light was done, and smiled when the teen settled right back into his arms, a little thrill that had  _ nothing _ to do with arousal crawling through him. 

  
  


Light’s eyelids felt heavy despite trying to fight it, and his cheek against Ryuzaki’s gently rising chest was so calming. “I might…take a little nap if that’s ok. You really wore me out.” 

  
  


“I think it’s safe to say we wore each other out, Light,” L murmured, kissing his hair and squeezing his eyes shut tightly at the warm weight on his chest. 

  
  


Light chuckled, kissing Ryuzaki’s chest and letting his eyes finally close. “Please don’t be gone in the morning.” Drifting away as his grip softened with sleep, “Or at least let me...know how to find you…”

  
  
“Shhhh.” L nodded, smiling when he felt those soft lips on his skin. Stroking Light’s hair, and shoulders, he let out a sigh and whispered softly, “I promise I’ll be here when you wake up. I’m not going anywhere. Get some sleep.” The temptation to say something sweet like ‘good night, love’ was strong, and L found himself staring up at the ceiling wide eyed for a moment.  _ Where did THAT come from? Damn it. I won’t be able to get to sleep for a little longer now, but... maybe my brain will slow down long enough for me to get SOME rest. _ “Sweet dreams,” he whispered, smiling now as he let his eyes drift closed again. He’d give Light his number in the morning.  _ And delete that app. I don’t need it anymore. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ZJ: So L, for someone who says they didn't think they wanted so much dick in their mouth...you sure like having dick in your mouth. 🤔
> 
> *L is invoking his right to remain silent* 👀
> 
> Ghost: Light is going to get spoiled rotten if L keeps doing that...
> 
> 😳 *silence intensifies*


	9. Make Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The morning's come and they aren't quite ready to say goodbye. Getting clean leads to getting dirty, and an emotional moment when L really sees Light.

As he’d suspected, L woke up earlier than Light, though he had actually slept quite soundly for once. _Five hours. I feel better than I have in months._ Laying in bed with his arms around Light was comforting for the first ten minutes, and then his boredom kicked in, and he wandered out onto the balcony with a glass of water and his old iPod. _I should really just pick up an iPhone or something, makes no sense to have two different devices for everything._ But at least he could sit and watch the street below, putting his library on shuffle and just enjoying the clash of genres that always resulted. His favorite mixes always ended up being when Disney songs segued into angry metal songs, or any other abrupt mood shift like that.

 

The sun was just starting to rise when his favorite Paramore song came on, and he found himself laughing softly, tapping his fingers against the arm of the chair as he crouched, watching the streaks of light spreading across the sky and singing along, heedless of his surroundings.

 

Back in the bedroom, Light blinked as the rays of early dawn filtered through the gauzy curtains of the hotel room, taking a moment to register where exactly he was. _A hotel room. Ryuzaki._ He turned over when he didn’t see the man in front of him, frowning that he was completely alone in the plush bed. “Ryuzaki?” _He told me he wouldn’t leave, that he’d be here._ Light sat up in the bed, feeling gross and sticky, and ran a hand through his hair as it sunk in...all the lies and excuses he’d have to tell today to get himself out of this. Mumbling under his breath as he slipped out of the bed, “Worth it. Worth all of it.” He picked up one of their bathrobes from the floor, slipping it on as he wandered into the main suite. _Did he at least leave me a note?_ Light didn’t see one, and felt a wave of deep disappointment until...was that singing?

 

He started to smile as he walked to the balcony of their room, opening the sliding glass door to poke his head outside. Ryuzaki hadn’t left, he was still there crouching in one of the deck chairs and watching the sun rise with headphones on. Light giggled as he quietly snuck up behind the man and kissed him on the neck, reaching over the back of the chair to drape his arms around him. “Morning, gorgeous.”

 

The sky was just brightening from a deep purple to red and orange when L startled to feel lips against his neck, and a moment later, arms snaked around his shoulders. _Shit, Light._ He could dimly hear the teen speaking, and his eyes slid to the side, grateful that his attention wasn’t being divided between Light’s voice and lyrics, but still a little dazed by the way Light was pressing into him.

 

Ryuzaki’s hair was wilder than ever, sticky and even sharp in places as it grazed Light’s face. He pushed his face into it anyway, wanting to remember how he smelled to create a perfect diorama in his mind of everything to the smallest detail. “For a moment I thought you left.” Slinking around to face him, Light pressed Ryuzaki’s legs down and climbed to straddle his lap. “Glad you didn’t.” He knew he must look a state too, could feel his hair sticking out on end and the crackle of dried _something_ on his body as he moved. But it didn’t matter, this was who he was, who they both could be. Dirty and unfiltered and real. Light took one of the headphones out, realizing that Ryuzaki probably hadn’t heard a word of anything he said. “What are you listening to?”

 

“Paramore,” L answered softly, almost as soon as the words left Light’s mouth, his hands coming to rest easily at Light’s waist as he smiled up at the teen. “It’s a song called Part II - it’s my favorite.” Leaning in, L pressed a soft kiss to Light’s mouth and added, “I promised I wouldn’t leave. I’m sorry if I gave you that impression. Did you sleep well?” He rubbed his fingers against the fabric, coming down to rest on Light’s thighs now as he watched the teen’s face, the music still playing in one ear but forgotten now.

 

Light smiled into the kiss, scooting closer into Ryuzaki’s lap. The song he was listening to was interesting, making Light’s smile turn slightly cryptic. ‘ _Dancing all alone, To the sound of an enemy's song. I'll be lost until you find me.’_ He hummed to the faint music coming through the earbud, leaning down to speak softly against the bruise still apparent on Ryuzaki’s neck, “Like the moon, we borrow our light. I am nothing but a shadow in the night.” Light kissed it, they’d both be taking home such primal souvenirs of their night together. “I did sleep well, surprisingly so. Mmm, but such dreams I had.”

 

Hearing Light say those words along with the song sent a shiver through him, and L whispered, “I don’t know what it is about this song that gets to me, but… there’s something hopeful about it, even with the sad feel of the lyrics. Is that a weird interpretation?” He paused the music as the song died and let out a soft huff of laughter, wrapping his arms snugly around Light’s waist to keep him there.

 

Light laughed softly and leaned back up to grin at him, “Shall I make us some coffee and bring it out here for you?” He pouted a little inside because this was only prolonging the farewell he didn’t want to happen so soon. They’d only just met but Light felt that, despite Ryuzaki’s words, he _would_ slip away like a shadow in the night, elusive as moonlight as soon as he lost sight of him. “Then we better get a shower.” _I’m just looking for another opportunity to be naked with him before this is over, aren’t I?_ He carded his hand through Ryuzaki’s wild hair, giggling when it stuck. “Maybe you’ll let _me_ clean up one of my messes this time.” Light still couldn’t get that silly sappy image of washing Ryuzaki’s hair out of his head, and hoped Ryuzaki would let him do it before they said goodbye.

 

L smiled when Light’s fingers stuck in his hair, giggling as he stroked fingers over the fabric covering Light’s back. Instead of answering the opening Light left him to ask about said dreams, or the inquiry about coffee, L gently urged, “Just… watch the rest of the sunrise with me? This is one of my favorite parts of the day.”

 

Light shifted in L’s lap to turn his face up to the luminous sky, to watch the sunrise still encircled in Ryuzaki’s arms. He was often up before dawn, getting ready for school or slipping in something quick and furtive related to his plans. But it was rare that he really looked and appreciated it, although he did now. The eastern clouds were pierced with streaks of light, but a deeper run of blood-red color flared like fingers reaching just for a moment, grasping up towards nothing but the purity of sky. Dreamily, half to himself, “My parents always warned me not to look too directly at the sun but that’s hard sometimes...when it’s so beautiful.” Rays gilded all of Tokyo beneath them, as if laughing at the neon signs and electricity that had tried to mimic it in the night. Saying,  _see what I can do? You construct weak candles because you can’t live without me in the dark. I’ll remind you of it every day._

 

 _The sunrise isn’t the only beautiful thing here,_ L thought, meeting Light’s eyes. His gaze went back to the skyline as the sky lightened to the soft, golden hue that usually preceded blue skies. “Shower and _then_ coffee? I’m not ready to leave you yet.” L reached up now to trail his fingers over Light’s throat and added, “And maybe you can tell me about these dreams, too. If you want.”

 

Light shielded his eyes and then turned back to Ryuzaki with a soft smile, golden light spilling over both of them now. “Shower and then coffee sounds perfect. I wasn’t feeling very awake before but I am now.” Light’s dreams had been disturbing in the early days of getting the death note, he’d even lost a lot of sleep as well as 10 pounds in those first weeks. There was a peace about it now, and those dreams no longer plagued him. But he couldn’t tell Ryuzaki he’d been dreaming of L, of Kira’s rival. Of a hazy chase into shadows until Light had grappled his prize to the floor, held him down and… The faint blush on his cheeks was hopefully camouflaged in the dawn, and he stopped himself from going too far down that road before his excitement became apparent. _Stop lusting for a ghost. You have reality here, and he will be gone soon too._

 

Light stood up, stretching briefly. “Well, I know what I’m dreaming about right now. Come on.” He gave Ryuzaki a seductive look over his shoulder as he walked through the balcony door and back to the shower.

 

It was like that soft smile was infectious, because L found himself smiling back at the teen, noting the faint blush on Light’s cheeks. _Ah… it was one of THOSE dreams, then._ “And what are you dreaming about now?” he asked, affecting innocence, pushing himself up from the chair and grabbing his things as he held his robe closed in the early morning chill. “I mean, getting clean sounds nice, but…”

 

He followed Light all the way into the bathroom, giggling as he shucked the robe off and started the water running, then went to inspect himself in the mirror again. “You know… I have to admit, I kind of _like_ seeing tangible proof of what we did.” Stroking slightly at the bruises, L turned around again, glancing over his shoulder and chuckling.

 

Light watched Ryuzaki in the mirror, gritting his teeth behind his smile at how that bruise perfectly in the shape of his hand made him feel. Possessive, wanting, but not guilty in the least. He turned his back to the mirror, letting Ryuzaki see his own works, nail marks and scratches in parallel stripes. He liked the look of it more than he thought he would.

 

Seeing his own handiwork down Light’s back, hips, and thighs was enough to get his heart racing again… Not that L hadn’t _already_ been feeling a little excited, but now that Light was awake and in the shower with him, and so _close_ , he wanted to touch again. “We’ll have to do it again sometime… and I may need to invest in some shirts with higher collars.” He sent Light a happy grin and came over to step into the shower, letting the hot water soak into him completely.

 

Light looked up sharply when Ryuzaki mentioned the word ‘collar.’ _Oh that was in my dream, wasn’t it?_ Smirking, he stepped into the water, mumbling, “Well, a collar would certainly hide those marks.” And now his face was heating, imagining something like that around Ryuzaki’s neck, wondering if he’d let him do it.

 

Light scrubbed his hair under the hot water, sighing as all the grime and sweat flowed away down the drain. Taking some shampoo from a little hotel bottle, he squeezed some into his hands and lathered up. “I hope I can convince my parents that I really was just at my friend’s house.” The deception made him smirk, eyes closed to avoid the soap as he rinsed his hair. “It’s exciting though, having a secret.”

 

“Would they _not_ believe that?” L asked curiously, fingers tracing at his mouth as he let his gaze roam down Light’s body again, transfixed. “I mean, it’s not like I left any marks on your neck, so…” Except now he wanted to. Just to see if Light would let him get away with it.

 

Light’s wet fingers lightly stroked the bruise on Ryuzaki’s neck, memorizing it exactly. _It looks so beautiful, his neck so thin and pale. I want to do it again._ He breathed, “Mmm. It’s evil of me to want to make it worse, isn’t it?”

 

L reached around Light for the soap, beginning to lather it over his chest and arms as Light turned him around, only to still at the feeling of fingers against his neck. A shiver went through him when he realized what Light _meant_ , and he murmured, “If it’s evil of you to want to make it worse, then I must be an evil masochist, because _I_ want you to do it. I wanted you to do the same last _night_.”

 

Light asked sheepishly, “Can I wash your hair for you?”

 

L was so distracted by his thoughts that it took him a moment to realize what Light had asked him, and he giggled self- consciously. “Um… yeah, sure. I was going to wash it, but if you want to, I’m not going to complain.”

 

Light had wanted to be sweet, but he felt a little silly now at the lackluster response to his gesture. _Because it is silly, idiot. He met you on Tinder to get off, and just told you what he wanted._ The fingers that had been tracing the bruise slinked around Ryuzaki’s neck, just pressing lightly without squeezing quite yet. “You _want_ me to make it worse? You seem to like living dangerously.” Light pressed closer behind him, his hand moving exactly over its bruised shadow to eclipse it. He hummed as if considering, “Are you going to hit me again this time, if I do it?” His fingers clenched just a moment, enough to walk Ryuzaki forward without resistance and press his cheek to the tile wall. “You wouldn’t be able to do that if I had you chained up, _would you_?” Light’s free hand traveled down Ryuzaki’s hips, and he pressed him bodily against the wall.

 

As Light’s fingers slid around to clutch at his neck, L found himself letting out a low, surprised sound at the immediate turn they had taken, especially when Light pressed him against the wall.

 

More emphatically, “Did you think I was going to let you die? That I’d kill you?” Light squeezed harder, longer this time, the hand on Ryuzaki’s hip sliding around to stroke him.

 

 _Did I actually upset him somehow, or is he just getting into the role?_ L found himself wondering, licking his lips and letting out a moan as he tried to press back against Light, only to be pushed _back_ against the wall. _Oh shit._ “No, Light, I-” Whatever L had been about to say flew his mind when Light squeezed _hard_ at his throat, and if he could have, he would have _sobbed_ from the stimulation from Light stroking him. The release of his throat left him panting, and L tried to push back again, letting his head fall back against Light’s shoulder and whispering brokenly through the _relentless_ hand around him, “T-that’s not what I thought, not what I m-meant by it-” L could feel Light’s lips stretched wide against his shoulder as he cut himself off, letting out a gasping cry when Light sped up his strokes. It felt so _good_ , and he had to squeeze his eyes shut as water dripped into his eyes, bringing tendrils of hair with it to sting them as he felt Light sliding against him like _that_ , and he knew _he’s just playing the role, even if he is upset, he’s just giving me what I - what I SAID I want_.

 

Releasing the pressure but not letting up on his wet strokes, Light whispered sarcastically, “Maybe I would have. But that’s still a very rude assumption.” Light was grinning against Ryuzaki’s shoulder, because of course he _was_ a killer even if he’d never used his hands to do it per se. _Just my pen._ He sped his strokes, pressing his own erection against Ryuzaki’s ass and sliding for friction. “After I make you come all over the wall, I should make you lick it up for being so _rude._ ” Light’s hand clenched hard, but just on the brink of being _too_ hard, so Ryuzaki would know Light knew the difference now and understood this game. _I always was a quick study._

 

The dirty things Light was saying went straight through him, and L was _shaking_ , nearly on the brink already just from that hand on his cock, the lithe body pressed against him, and the fingers around his neck, once again squeezing hard - almost _too_ hard. His fingers scrabbled for purchase on the wet tile, and he wasn’t entirely sure if the reason for that was to try and press back into Light and get off more on his own terms, or if it was just to hold himself steady to let Light take what he wanted… and he was getting dizzy from the lack of air. Just when he thought he might actually pass out, Light released him, and the rush of air back into his lungs as he gasped sent pure adrenaline through him, making his body jerk as he came _hard,_ sagging against the wall. “ _Shit,_ ” he sobbed, breathing heavily.

 

Light’s heart was pounding as Ryuzaki writhed and gasped between him and the wall, completely in his power, at his mercy. But his mind was whispering _L L L L L_ with his heartbeat. Each time he squeezed, the erratic jerks pressed the man against his cock and he pushed back in response. He exhaled a satisfied, “Yes…” when Ryuzaki spasmed violently and shot between his fingers against the wall, feeling powerful to make him come so quick and so hard. He pulled his hand away slowly, admiring the bruise again as any fading in the night was now replaced with new brightness. With faux innocence, “Did you enjoy that Ryuzaki? Is that what you wanted me to do?” _As if it wasn’t obvious._ But he needed to be inside him so badly now, needed his own release as his arousal was through the roof after watching that.

 

L couldn’t have answered him even if he’d wanted to, and truthfully, he had no idea what to even _say_ as he shuddered against the tile. ‘Obviously’? _That_ wouldn’t have gone over well, he could tell. Anything less than enthusiasm from him probably would get him more of a ‘punishment’ and even though he found the corners of his mouth tilting up in anticipation, he didn’t want to seem _too_ eager. Who _knew_ what Light would do if he was too eager for it?

 

While Ryuzaki panted against the tile in a daze, Light reached for the bottle of conditioner and squirted some in his hand. The oil was in the other room and this should do the trick, at least he hoped it would. He rubbed it on his cock, tracing then pushing slick fingers into Ryuzaki, hooking them to stroke against his prostate. Forcefully, “Now I’m going to tell you what _I_ want.” His fingers kept circling that spot, scissoring occasionally to open him again, as he whispered, “I want you on your hands and knees facing the wall.” Light pulled his fingers out and pressed Ryuzaki’s shoulders down, guiding him into position as the hot shower still beat against their bodies.

 

The fingers pressing into him drew a hissing gasp from L, not because it hurt, but more because he hadn’t been ready for it. “ _Light_ ,” he moaned, squeezing his eyes shut and pressing back against Light’s hand slightly as he tried in vain to catch his breath. Everything still felt good, though the edge had fled with his orgasm, and L let Light guide him to his hands and knees, just like he wanted.

 

Light moved his legs further apart, then pushed his hand into Ryuzaki’s wet hair to raise his face eye-level with the cum running down the tile. “Lick it up.” He released his hair and grasped Ryuzaki’s hips, pushing in slowly with a low moan. Light paused a moment when he was fully inside, his hands trembling on the man’s hips as he started to move slowly at first. It was a different kind of friction with this than with the oil, more intense. _Hopefully not painful for him but I guess I’ll find out._

 

A little shock of surprise went through L when Light actually told him to ‘ _lick it up_ ,’ and he balked. “What?!” Hands pressed insistently into his hair for a moment, pressing his face closer to the wall before withdrawing, and he shuddered a little at the loss. _Actually_ licking his own cum off the wall was a little further than he was comfortable with, even with Light gripping his hips and pushing inside him. But… he licked his lips and glanced back consideringly. _If I say no, will he make me do it anyway?_ He wanted to see what Light would do if he didn’t just _do_ what he wanted. Besides, one of his fantasies was being used, and this was playing right into that in a way.

 

“ _Make_ me,” L murmured, eyes flashing defiantly, trying to hide the smile threatening to break out on his face as he pushed himself back onto Light’s cock. He had to admit, being fucked like an animal in the shower, this was something he could definitely get behind doing more than once. _Come on, MAKE me do it, Light. Show me what you’re hiding._

 

Light’s nostrils flared as Ryuzaki looked backwards to challenge him, eyes narrowing even as he throbbed with the bratty defiance. _I hope you know what you’re doing._ His voice was a quiet whisper as he stared back with laser focus, but there was a danger thrumming beneath, “What did you say?” He slammed in hard and grabbed Ryuzaki’s hair, fisting it tightly as he leaned in as close as he could. _Why give him a peek when I can just rip the curtain away and see if he flees?_ Laughing loudly now, thrilled with the turn this game was taking, “MAKE you??!” _Oh yes, yes I will._ He panted hard in the man’s ear as he rolled his hips for more friction. Kissing that bruised neck softly, “With pleasure.”

 

He pressed Ryuzaki’s face right into the streaks of white, forcing his mouth and lips on it and rubbing it around without crushing him against the tile. Light practically growled to see the filthy effect on Ryuzaki’s face, felt his hips push back onto his cock and drive him in deeper. He yanked the man’s hair back again as he pounded a few more times, so hard he was aching.

 

“Jesus, _Light_ ,” L cried out, voice ragged from the stimulation, only to have Light shove his face to the wall. That hard edge of aching _need_ was back, pulling desperate choked sounds from L’s throat as Light did _exactly_ what he’d wanted - ripped away that facade that he was always hiding behind and just _took_ what he wanted. And as much as he’d never wanted to admit it before, having his hair pulled, being ridden so hard, being made to do something so degrading, it was _everything_ he needed.

 

The arousal was dripping from Light’s voice, “Are you going to do what I say now Ryuzaki?” There was plenty of cum still on the wall and Light wanted to see that talented tongue extend straight out and lap it up. A fast whisper, “Lick it the fuck up.” Light’s hand slipped back around Ryuzaki’s neck and brought his face close enough to smell it, “Because I want to have something nice to watch while I fill _you_ the fuck up.” He was going to come hard watching that, but if Ryuzaki _didn’t_ do it, he was much too far gone now not to just choke him until he did.

 

L’s fingers clenched against the floor, trying to keep himself upright as Light continued to slam into him, and when his head was yanked back one more time, he stared up with wide eyes, nodding frantically at Light’s command. _Fuck, how - why am I finding this so hot?!_ When Light brought his face in close to the wall again, L _still_ couldn’t help his hesitation… until he heard that sexual little promise. _JESUS Christ, he’s going to make me come again just from all of THIS, isn’t he?_ He let out a harsh breath and swallowed his pride and just _did_ it, steeling himself against the prickle of shame he felt and instead closed his eyes. If he was doing this, it was going to still be _his_ way; pretending he was doing nothing more than licking icing off of a plate. _That_ was practically a daily occurrence for him.

 

“YES!” Light’s eyes grew huge as he watched Ryuzaki’s pink tongue slide up the tile, unable to tear his gaze away as it lapped and lapped. Something between a broken whine and a wheeze passed his lips but he was past caring what he sounded like, looked like. He couldn’t even think, only feel and react to the tight heat sucking him in and the most arousing display of submission he’d ever witnessed. He shuddered violently on Ryuzaki’s back, the hand around his neck clenching tighter momentarily and his free hand supporting him against the tile as he slammed as hard as he could.

 

It definitely seemed to be giving Light what he wanted, if his reaction was anything to go by, pulling a drawn out, ragged cry from him as L felt the teen slam into him _hard_. The sounds that Light was making were sending aroused chills _straight_ through L’s body, and he knew he probably sounded no more dignified, _especially_ since he had pretty much given up any pretensions that he _didn’t_ want to be the reason Light was _losing his damn mind_. He wanted so _badly_ to be that reason. Seeing and feeling the way the teen was coming apart at the seams was a heady feeling, and desire crawled under his skin and sunk deep into him as he leaned back into Light, rocking back into those hard thrusts with his head thrown back against the teen’s shoulder, the steady stream of breathy, panted ‘ahhh’s only broken by the delicious clench of fingers around his throat again.

 

Light’s moans rose in volume as he felt the tension wind up like a spring, mouth wide open as his orgasm yanked his own breath away with a gut punch. He doubled over Ryuzaki, hand fallen from his neck just to hold himself up now as he jerked with each wave of release. A faint whisper, “Ryuzaki…”

 

Falling forward again under Light’s weight, L found himself laughing in delight, still breathless. “Shit, _Light_ ,” he gasped, jerking with a moan at the feel of Light spilling hotly inside of him. That in itself was almost enough to put him over the edge again, but what actually _did_ it was just the _way_ Light said his (fake) name, and the emotion he could feel pouring from the teen as L shuddered beneath him, dazed and dizzy from hormones and struggling to stay upright

 

Tears welled in Light’s eyes and blurred the form beneath him but _oh I can see well enough. He’s not turning from this._ Ryuzaki had seen _him_ too, not the practiced perfect Light but the raw intensity that was always knocking against the other side of the mask. It was so _fucking_ cathartic that he started laughing softly into Ryuzaki’s shoulder, still twitching. The high he’d felt for the last day had already been amazing but this just felt like something else entirely.

 

He melted off of Ryuzaki’s back, slipping out as a consequence rather than as a deliberate action. He rolled to his back and just let the water pulse down over him, a puddle of emotion and pleasure that just might flow down the drain too. He was still laughing, grinning, “Fuck...I...I....” Light closed his eyes against the water, hoping that Ryuzaki wasn’t angry but unable to ask just then. “Please…” His hand reached over for the man, wanting to hold him but gravity seemed ten times stronger right now. _There’s no question now. I need this in my life and I’m never letting it go._

“ _Fuck.” Amazing_. Nothing else would even _hope_ to compare to this feeling, L reflected, matching Light’s laughter as the teen slid to the floor. “Light.” L let himself sink down to the floor, as well, as Light rolled over, and he reached out to grab Light’s searching hand, squeezing as tightly as he could, though he was still weak from the rush of adrenaline. _You want to keep me, too, don’t you?_ L smiled happily at the thought, nuzzling his mouth into Light’s palm, giggling when the teen finally managed to focus on him. “You are... incredible. Thank you.” He blinked away water from his eyes, knowing it was a futile gesture and just... not caring.

 

Light’s mind as well as his vision were spinning, the blood pounding in his ears and the water hitting his body made him feel as if in a surreal dream. When Ryuzaki grabbed his reaching hand he knew it was real, and he rolled to his side to smile at him through the false rain. Breath and words still weren’t coming easy but he managed, “Oh shit, what have we done…” Light giggled and scooted closer, lifting his other hand to shield Ryuzaki’s face from the spray. “What happened...I thought I was going crazy there for a minute.”

 

L’s words took on an almost reverent tone now as he whispered over the pounding water, “You... shouldn’t hide that passion away. You’re _stunning_ like this.”

 

The words he was saying to Light were so soft and sincere, telling him he didn’t need to hide, he didn’t need to be perfect. They meant so much. “Then I won’t hide it from you.”

 

L closed his eyes for a moment at that soft declaration, smiling. He wasn’t looking forward to coming out of this surreal little bubble they were in, but for now, he was content to kiss Light under the spray, to lay still and warm and _safe_ in his arms for a moment longer. _Can he feel how hard my heart is pounding?_

 

Light wrapped his arms around Ryuzaki and kissed him softly, oblivious or uncaring that the bottom of a hotel shower was probably the least romantic place for him to be doing that. But he needed it, needed to kiss him to connect, to taste that cum licked from the wall and let him know it wasn’t debasement he wanted in reality, that fantasy can be that but reality is _this_. Gratitude for the chance to have fun and be wild, and then being human again.

 

Opening his eyes slightly as they kissed, L smiled fondly at the utterly serene, grateful expression on the teen’s face and finally reached up to cradle Light’s jaw in his hands. _Why does this feel so momentous? It shouldn’t be romantic to be kissing on the floor of the shower._

 

Light pulled back, feeling stronger and more grounded now. He helped Ryuzaki sit up against the tile and reached for the shampoo bottle that had fallen to the floor at some point. He grinned and wiggled it dramatically, “ _Now_ will you let me wash your hair?” He diverted the spray nozzles of the shower so they weren’t blaring in their faces anymore then squeezed some shampoo in his hand.

 

When they finally pulled apart, L could feel himself getting a little woozy, a headache beginning to form behind his eyes from the pounding water, and he was grateful for Light’s help. _And now I remember why I don’t like showers much. Ugh._ Light’s playful question made him laugh, and he just smiled and nodded shyly to the teen. It was cute that Light seemed so fixated on washing his hair for him, and it... made him feel special, in a way. “Who am I to deny you something so small?”

 

Light’s hands smoothed the shampoo into Ryuzaki’s hair and lathered as he gazed into wide eyes, careful to keep the soap out of them. His voice was very soft and tender, “Thank you for indulging me.”

 

L unconsciously leaned into Light’s gentle touch almost like a cat would. “Mmm… thank _you_ , your fingers feel quite nice. They’re... getting rid of my headache.” And they were, oddly enough.

 

Light blushed but it wasn’t from embarrassment, just from the memory. “It’s funny, but I’m going to miss you now, even though I’ve only known you a day. Now I feel like I don’t want to let you go.” _Ever._ His fingers massaged Ryuzaki’s scalp soothingly for a moment, then he guided him into the water to rinse the suds away. He liked the idea of taking care of Ryuzaki even if it was unneeded and a little silly. He was a grown man who didn’t need someone to do this. But Light got the feeling like maybe Ryuzaki didn’t have enough people in his life extending silly unneeded gestures of care for no other reason except they wanted to.

 

L gazed at him with wide eyes, lips parted for a moment as Light’s soft words washed over him, wondering if they really were just _that_ in sync, or if Light had the ability to read minds. “I still want to stay here with you,” he murmured, lips quirking up for a moment as his mind supplied a line from one of the songs he’d heard during his morning shuffle. _Want to be near you always… I wonder if it would be awfully sappy to say that out loud._ Softly, “Last night was… a dream come true. This morning? I couldn’t have asked for anything more perfect. I don’t often find someone who would treat me so gently.” His heart was pounding hard with Light’s tender care, and after a moment’s hesitation, he leaned forward again to kiss Light sweetly, eyes fluttering closed as his fingers pressed to Light’s cheek, well aware that he probably looked like a drowned rat.

 

Light smiled into the kiss, savoring those words that mirrored his own thoughts. That it had meant _something,_ whatever that something was. He didn’t need to know what it was now, it was just enough that Ryuzaki had felt anything after what he’d seen of Light. But the voice in the back of his head whispered _but still you lie, and he hasn’t seen anything close to the worst of you._ He swallowed and turned his head away, lips vaguely forming the words _I’m not a monster_ before recovering to smile and stand up. “I do want to treat you gently, if you’ll let me.” He laughed though, reaching for the soap to wash away the sweat and other things, “I mean, don’t get me wrong. I want to treat you rough too.” Light gave Ryuzaki a wink over his shoulder, because it was just a certain context he wanted to treat him _that_ way. The idea of actually hurting him never crossed his mind, no more than he’d think to smash a sculpture in a museum.

 

L tilted his head curiously at Light, catching only part of whatever he had mouthed to himself. _Something about a monster? What was that?_ The moment was gone before he could ask, and he smiled slightly when Light stood, and blushed at the comments. “I like both,” he declared, taking that moment to stretch, giggling a little as he realized what he’d said. “Obviously I don’t like both at the _same time,_ that wouldn’t work. But..”

 

Light extended a hand to help Ryuzaki to his feet, scrubbing away whatever grime was there with soapy fingers. “Let it never be said that I don’t clean up after myself.” The truth was he was a bit of a neat freak and compulsive organizer, liking things to be predictable and orderly. He’d gotten a little better since Sayu would good-naturedly tease him about it, but it was still ingrained.

 

Taking Light’s hand, he let the teen pull him up as he mumbled, “I’m going to shut up. You’ve got me tongue-tied.” Besides, he smiled to himself, it _was_ nice to have Light scrubbing the grime off of him. L couldn’t let that one slide, so he pointed out with a giggle, “To be fair, _I_ was the one constantly making a mess.”

 

Light stepped from the shower and grabbed a towel, saying silent thanks to this hotel that provided no shortage of them given how _dirty_ they’d been. He sighed beneath it as he dried his hair, “Ugh, I’m not really ready to go home.” He dried a little longer, hiding the frown that followed that admission, but he knew he had to or his parents would worry. They might have already called Shinji to see when he was coming back. Pulling the towel away from his hair, he wrapped it around his waist.

 

Making sure he was thoroughly clean, L watched Light step out of the shower and raised his voice to be heard over the water, “I’m like a child with finger paints, I see something pretty and I have to make it mine. And apparently mark it up.” He turned the water off and quickly stepped out, grabbing a towel and tugging it around his shoulders. Fingers went back to his mouth as he once again paused to admire the scratches up Light’s back.

 

“Before that, coffee. I bet you take it extra sweet, hmm? Just like you?” Light gave Ryuzaki a peck on the cheek and wandered into the kitchen to try and figure out the complicated-looking Italian coffee maker he’d seen in there.

L’s cheeks heated up a bit when Light turned around, catching him staring, and he could feel them _burning_ when Light called him sweet.  “Am I that predictable, or are _you_ just that perceptive?” he mumbled to himself, belatedly drying himself off enough to follow Light without leaving puddles on the floor. _Only for you, Light. No-one else gets SWEET from me_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can listen to the L's favorite Paramore song 'Part II' [here](https://youtu.be/45Xzgma4LMk)  
> The lyrics which Light and L both recognize/sing are [here](https://genius.com/Paramore-part-ii-lyrics)
> 
> Check out some fan art by the talented erencollins on [tumblr](https://erencollins.tumblr.com/post/183832754427/i-was-going-to-make-some-pretty-art-for)! Thank you 😍!


	10. Check Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> L and Light are reluctant to say goodbye after their wild night, but Light promises to call him so they can see each other again. Ryuk finally catches up with Light and hurries him back to real life.

Light fiddled with the coffeemaker, filling it up with water and some fancy coffee variety the hotel provided before pressing the start button. As he took down some mugs, he was humming to himself happily, which was rather unlike him. But Ryuzaki’s words, especially ‘ _I have to make it mine’_ were lighting him up inside and that giddiness had to come out somewhere. He smiled shyly over his shoulder when Ryuzaki wandered in, “So, will you give me your number or email or something?” There was a pad of hotel stationery on the kitchen counter and Light slid it towards him. “I mean, I hope you will.” It seemed a given but he didn’t want to be completely presumptuous either. Giving Ryuzaki _his_ number was also an option but...what if he called when his parents or Sayu were around? What if Misa saw a weird number on his phone and freaked out, or worse, called it? Still, it would seem pretty odd and rude to ask for something he wouldn’t give in return.

 

He hesitated only a moment before scribbling down his number on the note pad. The feeling of a pen between his fingers made him think of another blank space waiting for him at home. _Kira made no kills last night. Ryuk won’t like that I ditched him, or maybe he managed to be entertained by this mess I’m jumping head first into. With no regrets._ “Maybe, um...text me first before you call. My time is not always so free as this and my family…” Light wondered just how much he could get Shinji to lie for him before it was clear it wasn’t Misa he was seeing, but he wouldn’t think about that now.

 

L beamed at him, drifting over and standing close to Light as he took the pen from him and wrote down his cell number. He only paused for a moment, wondering if it was really a good idea to give Light his personal number. _Only a few people have this number, for good reason._ On the other hand, he had already decided to give it to Light last night, and there was literally one number missing from the sequence on the paper. Backing out now would be stupid.

 

Light's smile flickered at Ryuzaki’s hesitation to finish writing down his number, stalling on the last number. Light had explained why _he_ had such anxiety, but wondered why it was that Ryuzaki felt that way. It irked him a little. _What, does he think I’m going to scrawl it on a bathroom wall, ‘Call this for a good time?’_

 

Looking up at Light, L gave him a more subdued smile, chuckling. “I don’t give out my number to people, so I’m trusting you to keep this all to yourself.” He leaned in to press a kiss to Light’s cheek before jotting down the last number, and then he pressed the pen back into Light’s hand and moved to sit awkwardly on one of the stools, rubbing his towel lightly against the ends of his hair.

 

Light was relieved when the last number appeared, but still cocked an eyebrow, “Of course. Not sure who you think I’d give it to though.” _Or why it would matter. Phone numbers can be changed easily enough. Not like a face. Not like a name._

 

L paused and gave him a curious look, choosing to ignore the teasing (or maybe not-so-teasing?) remark. “And… you could always call _me._ I can probably get away from people easier. And that way you’re already free to talk.” _Plus, then I’ll know that you really DO want to see me again._ He glanced down at Light’s number on the notepad, memorizing it easily and looked back up with a happy smile on his face. “We’re doing everything backwards, aren’t we?”

 

Light folded up the paper with Ryuzaki’s number and put it in his pocket before Ryuzaki could change his mind, and the odd feeling of ‘ _who is this really?’_ rushed in again. His mind was always whirring in the background when there was an interesting puzzle to solve, even when he wasn’t actively focusing on it. And the question of ‘ _who is Ryuzaki?_ ’ had been coalescing ever since trying to track him to the cafe from Midtown. Ryuzaki had been deliberately cautious, even evasive about giving Light too many clues about his life or job, and now he balked at providing his number. After the sex they’d had...Ryuzaki’s apparent enthusiasm...there must be a very powerful motivation for him to hide so much. _What?_ Light knew he’d try and trace the number later to satisfy his curiosity, even as his gut instinct said he wouldn’t be able to.

 

The coffee beeped and Light turned back to fill their cups with it, adding some milk from the fridge to his. There was a bowl of sugar cubes and he dropped one more than he thought most people would want (so five) into Ryuzaki’s cup before handing it to him. He grinned, “There’s more sugar if that’s no good. I just take mine with milk, at least in the morning.”

 

Without even thinking about how it might look, L tugged the bowl of sugar cubes closer and added two more, stirring and tasting it before adding another two. Another taste confirmed that it was nearly perfect, and one more went in before he settled in with a happy sound, pulling one knee up to his chest, toes curled against the stool. “Thank you, Light.”

 

Ryuzaki was heaping more sugar into his cup as Light fingered the paper in his pocket.  He pretended to stare at his own coffee to hide the sudden fire in his eyes when the sliding puzzle ratched out a wild possibility. _What if he’s really L?_ Fingers twitched hard and he hissed, “Ow!” He yanked his hand from his pocket, sucking his finger with a grimace curling into a sheepish smile as he met Ryuzaki’s eyes. _It can’t be. But what if, what if..._ “Ah...um, papercut. I can be such a klutz sometimes.” If there was one thing Light _wasn’t_ it was clumsy, but Ryuzaki didn’t know him well enough for that lie to be glaring. _Divert._ Light giggled at the over-sweetened, syrupy mess that Ryuzaki was stirring, “ _Ten_ sugar cubes? Guess I called it.” _And am I calling it now? No, stop being paranoid and sabotaging this._

 

Light’s flippant little remark made him blush, and L set his cup down, reaching out for Light’s hand. “Let me see?” His concern was apparently misplaced, and he let out another soft little huff when Light changed the topic. _Deflection? Why should he be deflecting over a papercut? Unless…_

 

Light’s finger traced lazy patterns over Ryuzaki’s wrist hovering above the mug, chin in the other hand as he smiled at how silly his prior thought was. _Can’t be L._

 

L smiled and looked down, thrilling over the feeling of Light’s fingers tracing his wrist, thoughts racing in the background even as he responded with a soft, “I told you I like sweets. I suppose that’s quite a lot of sugar.” He doesn’t really seem like the clumsy type. So... what has he been thinking to make him suddenly make an excuse like that?

 

“I’ll call you first, if you prefer. Probably safer that way.”

 

L’s gaze flickered up to Light’s again, and back down, and he turned his hand over, threading his fingers through the teen’s and squeezing lightly. _Best not to ask right now. Don’t ruin this just before you have to leave. Give him another reason why he should call first, something silly and sweet._ “I do… I was _also_ hoping you’d be the one to call because I like the symmetry,” L said, finally, smiling sheepishly. “After all, I messaged you first. And... getting a surprise phone call from you would make me happy.”

 

Even as he said that, there was a thought that had been circling around in his head since L had woken up that he had been shoving aside. More an idle curiosity, really, something funny that he wasn’t sure if he should ask. Still, it made him snort as he reached for his cup again, taking a sip before adding, “I really like the sound of your voice.”

 

Light smiled at the compliment, squeezing Ryuzaki’s hand back. The comment seemed true enough, and Light had definitely noticed that Ryuzaki reacted strongly to hearing his name during sex. He nuzzled the man’s cheek, nipping against his jaw. “Mmm hmm, I noticed that.” Light whispered _‘Ryuzaki’_ now in his ear, knowing there wasn’t any more time for real play but unable to hold back from teasing a little. “Maybe I’ll have to say your name next time I’m jerking off all alone, would you like that?” He gave a devious little giggle, bending to kiss the bruise on Ryuzaki’s neck. “I’ve never had phone sex, that might be fun, if not as fun as the real thing.”

 

A shiver rolled through L’s body at the way Light whispered in his ear, and he let out a slow, shuddering breath. “You are…” he started, lips curling up in a smile as he glanced sideways at Light, letting his eyes fall half shut with the pleasant sensation. “You really _are_ a tease, aren’t you? I’m not sure how I’m supposed to get any work done when I get back, you’re going to be _all_ I can think about.” He took another sip of coffee, not wanting to rush it just yet, even though he knew it had to be getting close to check out time.

 

Light leaned back again, satisfied with planting some dirty thoughts in Ryuzaki’s mind that would hopefully keep him thinking about Light even after they parted. He sighed and frowned behind his coffee mug as he caught the time on the clock in the kitchen. “Ten-thirty?! Is it really so late already?” He didn’t even want to check his phone and see all the missed calls from Misa, hoping that was it. He drained his cup, anticipating the caffeine burst that would get him through the train ride back to his house and then playing all this off.

 

“Oh. Damn. I was hoping to stay with you a little longer,” L said, deflating slightly. Sighing, he stood up, reluctantly pulling his hand from Light’s and going to gather up the towels and robes that were strewn about the room, depositing everything (including the robe he had been wearing) into the hamper. Pausing in the doorway, he glanced around the bathroom to make sure he hadn’t left anything in there ( _oh, that’s where my iPod went_ ) and came back into the main room. “Time flies when you’re having fun. I’ve _never_ understood that phrase more than I do right now.” L gave Light a brief smile, starting to tug his clothes back on. “Back to the real world in a bit. Want anything to eat before we part ways?”

 

Light’s eyes followed Ryuzaki around the room, smiling to see him naked one last time before they had to part. “Well, yes, I can think of something I’d like in my mouth.” He stared right at Ryuzaki’s crotch, sticking out his bottom lip in a slight pout when the man’s pants zipped up. “Guess there’s not enough time for that.”

 

 _Something he’d like…_ L glanced over to Light when he said that and quickly looked down again with a grin, flushing and hastily pulling his hands away. “No, I _definitely_ don’t think we have enough time for that, as much as I’d love it,” he said, ruffling his hair a bit to check how damp it still was before shrugging and pulling his shirt on anyway. It would dry. “If I could fudge our time a little bit, I would, but I think they expect us to be checked out downstairs by 11.” L drained his coffee and took the cup over to the sink to rinse it out, smiling ruefully to himself. _It’s not enough time._

 

Light grinned and poked around the room too, making sure to grab his phone and slip it into his pocket without a glance. He pulled his folded school uniform jacket from his backpack and shrugged it on, glad to have the cover for his rain-rumpled shirt. He picked up his tie from the floor, not even remembering taking it off or throwing it across the room.

 

Turning slowly to Ryuzaki, Light fingered the tie and threaded it around his neck with a sneaky expression. “Will you help me tie this?” Light was perfectly capable of tying it his damn self, but wondered if Ryuzaki might like to put something around _his_ neck this time. He sort of wondered what all the fuss was about since Ryuzaki liked it so much. _Hmm, maybe something to explore next time. If there is a next time._

  
Turning back to Light, L laughed at that request, knowing it was just an excuse to be close to him again. _Not that I will complain about that._ He wandered over and brought his hands up to smooth down Light’s chest, giggling a little before leaning in to peck Light on the mouth. “I don’t wear ties, Light,” he murmured, fingers idly playing along the teen’s collar and then down to the tie. That didn’t mean he didn’t know how to tie one, of course. “I know a couple of techniques, though.”

 

L glanced at the time, mentally counting up the minutes they had left and calculating whether he had the time to try the one he had in mind. He had only ever practiced it on himself when Watari had insisted he learn how to do it. ‘ _Just in case_ ’ he ever needed to get dressed up for anything, which had never happened yet. _I’m doing it, why not._ Looking back at Light, L smiled and said, “This will take a couple of minutes. I’ve never done it on someone else before, so please be patient with me.” With that, he tugged Light a little closer, fingers working deftly as he focused on the steps.

 

Light stared as Ryuzaki fidgeted with his tie, curious as to what ‘technique’ he was talking about. He had only tied a tie a single way, the way his school required, and glanced between the concentrated look on Ryuzaki’s face and his deftly moving fingers. It was a complicated knot, and gave Light the opportunity to observe Ryuzaki’s face extremely closely without necessarily kissing it or talking to him. He smiled faintly as he memorized Ryuzaki’s features, inky lashes against too pale skin, dark hair still drooping from dampness being occasionally blown up from out of his eyes. Light recognized that it was not necessarily an objectively _beautiful_ face in the same way his own was, but it was extremely beautiful to him and moreover-- fascinating. “I’ll miss seeing your face.” Light sort of blurted it out before thinking to stop himself, blushing and looking down. But it was true, he would.

 

L paused and tried to ignore the feeling of intense scrutiny from the teen, eyes flickering up to Light’s when he said that before looking back down, blushing madly. _I’ll miss seeing yours as well,_ he thought, lips curling up slightly. Finally, he stepped back, cheeks red as he inspected the finished look. “Perfect.” He brought his thumb back up to his mouth as Light inspected his handiwork, whispering to himself nearly inaudibly, “Please like it..”

 

Light turned to the mirror in the hall to glance at what Ryuzaki had done. “Wow.” He stepped closer, inspecting the complicated and elegant looking knot. “You’ll have to show me how you did it someday.” He’d been too focused on watching Ryuzaki to pay attention to the machinations of the knot, but could likely figure it out when he undid it. Turning back, he embraced Ryuzaki and gave him a lingering soft kiss. “Thank you.” His fingers clenched slightly in the fabric of the man’s shirt, and Light had the unsettling feeling Ryuzaki would disappear into thin air, that _this_ was it. “Last night and today...I know it was something special. I _will_ call you.”

 

L couldn’t help but beam at Light’s reaction, melting into that kiss gratefully, arms going around Light’s waist and squeezing. “Thank _you._ I’m very glad I met you, Light,” he said softly, watching his face intently. “I’m going to miss not having you around for the rest of the day, but… I look forward to hearing from you.” He pressed another kiss to Light’s mouth and giggled. “And I promise I will show you how to do that knot next time I see you. It suits you.” He glanced at the clock and sighed. “We need to go. Let me grab the rest of my things.”

 

Reluctantly stepping back from the embrace, L shrugged into his jacket, and did one more sweep of the suite, picking up his phone and retrieving the bag of cake pops before stopping beside the teen. He reached for Light’s hand, and smiled hopefully as he started for the door, “Are you _sure_ I can’t convince you to have breakfast with me after we check out?” _I just want to be with you for a little longer without feeling rushed._

 

Light wanted to go to breakfast, he really, really wanted to. He was about to say ‘of course’ when a nearly forgotten form materialized in the room. He blanched slightly thinking, _not YET you big beetle! Get out of here!_

 

Ryuk slid down from the roof upside-down, a demonic shit-eating grin on his face. He cackled softly as he blew a gust of wind over Ryuzaki’s hair, making it lift slightly. Mocking Light, “Sure was something special….ooohhh….boohoo wahhhhhh!”  The shinigami made a lovestruck kissyface, finally righting himself and looming over the two of them. He flapped closer to Light, turning to hover on his side as he poked at the knot on his tie. “Eh, looks like he’s pretty good with his hands too, huh, Light-o? Bahahaha!”

 

Light tried not to react at all but couldn’t help but feel deflated. Ryuk coming back meant he’d gotten precariously close to bored, and that was something that Light absolutely had to avoid. “I wish I could go with you.” _I badly wish I could._ “But my parents will be expecting me now, if they aren’t already looking for me.” He took Ryuzaki’s hand, carefully avoiding Ryuk’s yellow eyes, and walked with him to the door. “Will you at least walk with me to Shibuya station? It’s just outside.”

 

Ryuk just went ‘heh’ at that, seemingly accomplishing his purpose of hurrying Light up and home to where the notebook waited for him. Light knew he wouldn’t hear the end of this for a long time; if there was one thing the demon got perpetual amusement from it was giving Light a good ribbing.

 

Blinking, L’s smile faded slightly, and he looked away, sighing as he closed the door behind them. “I understand.” _I’ve probably been gone too long as well, in any case. Watari won’t be happy with me._ He was silent as they walked to the elevator, and then he said softly, “I suppose I just wanted… Well. Duty calls for both of us, I suppose. I’ll walk you to the station, of course.” It was probably too much to hope for Light to continue being affectionate when they got outside, but L was absolutely not letting go until Light did.   


Light had hoped that once Ryuk saw he was getting a move on that the shinigami would make himself scarce again. But nope, he floated along behind them as they moved to the hall and waited for the elevator. “Haven’t had any apples in a while, hyuk.” His skeletal stomach rumbled, and he pointed to it dramatically, “HINT HINT!”

  
“Did you have any plans for the rest of the weekend?” L asked after a moment of silence, watching the numbers on the elevator count down from one of the higher floors. The odds of someone else being on the elevator this time were pretty high, and he really wasn’t ready for their conversation to end. “Family time, spending time with friends?” Okay, so _he_ was the one fishing now. Light most likely _hadn’t_ made plans, since last night had clearly been a spur of the moment thing for both of them. But still. He grinned a bit and asked, “Or are you playing it by ear?”

 

Light ignored Ryuk, determined not to let anything ruin his last moments with Ryuzaki. He turned to smile at him, “No big plans. With the entrance exam coming up, my parents expect me to spend most of my time studying.” He brought their joined hands to his lips, kissing Ryuzaki’s. “Which gives me an excellent excuse to sneak out for a little while to the ‘library’ or something.”

 

“Then I have more than just your call to look forward to. I can’t _wait_ ,” L responded, eyes dancing gleefully. As the elevator door slid open, he squeezed Light’s hand tighter for a moment. _Please don’t let go._

 

The elevator opened and they stepped inside, although Light was a little disappointed there was someone else inside. The young couple were too wrapped up in their own canoodling to notice them very much, not that Light would have dropped Ryuzaki’s hand anyway. Light pulled Ryuzaki slightly behind the couple so he could sneak in one more kiss before they got to the lobby. It was brief and furtive but he enjoyed the hell out of it anyway, even moreso because he really _shouldn’t_ be doing that right behind the backs of people standing there.

 

L couldn’t help holding his breath, heart fluttering in his chest at the way Light kissed him - brief, yes, but it was exciting to feel Light’s lips against his when there were other people _right there_ , and he took that moment to press against him slightly, smiling slyly at the teen when they pulled apart. _Was that our ‘one for the road’? I suppose it probably was. He probably won’t want to kiss me at the station. Discretion and all._

 

Light pulled away quickly when he heard the ding before the doors opened, the beautiful hotel lobby stretching out in front of them to the main doors to the street. The hotel was bustling now because it was check out time. He dug in his pocket for the key to the room Ryuzaki had given him yesterday and put it in the man’s hand. “Thank you again for everything, the room, the food...I wish I could pay you back somehow.” Light wasn’t sure how he could do that with no money or job, and Ryuzaki hadn’t asked him to. Still, he wasn’t used to accepting exorbitant things just like that.

 

As they approached the main desk, joining the check out queue, L said softly, “You’re very welcome, Light. It was my pleasure.” Taking the key card, L took that moment to look around the lobby, taking in all of the exquisite details. He had the feeling that it was much less impressive with all the hustle and bustle going on at the moment than it would have been last night, but it was still quite enchanting.

 

“Next time, I’ll pay for the date.” _I guess that means something cheap or I get some money somehow._ Light smiled, “Or I can just work it off some _other_ way.”

 

L turned to look at Light with a smile, eyes dancing with happiness and amusement, both, at Light’s insistence on paying for ‘next time’. _I suppose we both have things which make us self conscious. You with accepting expensive treats from people, I with compliments. What an interesting pair we make._ “You don’t have to pay me back. Really. It’s no trouble. I _very_ much enjoyed spoiling you. But if you _insist_ … we can figure something out later.” They were nearly at the front of the line now, which brought a small sigh from him. _Why does it seem like time is going by too quickly?_ L glanced over at Light with a smile before stepping up to the desk to speak with the young woman sitting there, presenting both keycards and pulling out his ID.

 

Light let go of Ryuzaki’s hand as they got to the front of the line, stepping aside so he could talk to the front desk. He took a brief glance at his phone in the meantime, wanting to know if he was heading into any kind of disaster. _38 texts and 4 missed calls from Misa._ That made him sigh in annoyance, that he had to dig through a morass of heart emojis and exhortations of love to see if anything had _actually_ happened. There was a single text from his mother, but it looked like she was just reminding him about his cram session later. He shot her a quick text: “ **Thanks Mom. I didn’t forget. On my way home now. Be there in 30 minutes or so.** ”

 

The woman at the front desk gave L a brief, peppy smile as she punched in the room number, gaze going to the marks around his neck for a quick moment before pointedly fixing on his face, and nearly without missing a beat began rattling off a quick list of the extra charges before asking how he wanted to pay. “Credit, please,” he said, laughing a little. It didn’t take very long to wrap things up, and he nodded his thanks to her bright ‘ _Thank you, come again!_ ’ before returning to Light’s side.

 

Ryuzaki was done with the check out when he looked up from his phone, and Light slipped his hand back into his. “Looks like I’m in the clear with my parents. That or they’re waiting to yell at me when I get back.” He laughed because that wasn’t really their style; if they had been worried they would have called. They walked out the main doors and into the street crowded with valets and pedestrians, and the sun was so bright it made him squint.

 

“That’s good to hear,” L said, snickering, inwardly _thrilled_ when Light took his hand again. _I thought he didn’t want us to be obvious - DAMN, I could get used to this_. “Though I can’t imagine your parents would yell at you, since you seem to have gotten very little grief last _night_ from them about being out.” The bright sunlight made a sharp contrast to their entrance last night, and L couldn’t help but smile. _Today is a good day, so I’ll take it._

 

Light maneuvered them to walk at the edge of the sidewalk so they could have a more leisurely pace than most of the people hurrying along. He felt far less stressed now that he’d checked his phone and disaster seemed averted. “They don’t usually check up on me or give me a hard time about much. I’m the perfect son, getting good grades, winning tennis championships, even helping my dad with his work sometimes.” He couldn’t help but laugh at the dichotomy of who he appeared and who he was. “I guess they trust me not to get into any trouble.” He gave Ryuzaki a look full of mischief, because of course he’d been the one to see the kind of trouble Light wanted to get into.

 

Light’s flirty little comment made L laugh, and he let it slide, content to just walk and talk. “Sounds like you have great parents. And you play tennis?” He grinned, surreptitiously checking Light out before smirking, saying in a softer voice, “No _wonder_ you have such a great body. I used to play, but I haven’t played in _years._ I kind of miss it.”

 

“The train station is three blocks that way I think.” Light gestured north and felt in his pocket to make sure he still had some money for the train as they headed that way. It was unusual for two men to be holding hands in public like this, even though Tokyo was a modern city it was still rather demure when it came to public affection and social norms. _I don’t care. It’s not likely anyone will recognize me here._ “Let’s walk slow, if that’s ok with you?”

 

“That’s more than okay with me.” L glanced around, taking everything in. “I haven’t been in this district until now. It’ll be nice to take in some of the sights before I head back.” And really, he was fascinated by how many different types of shops were around. Most of them weren’t really anything that caught his fancy, but that didn’t mean there was _nothing_ to catch his eye. “Actually… I really haven’t seen much of Tokyo, in _general,_ since I’ve been here. I might need to take another day off soon to do something fun again. Any suggestions?”

 

“So you haven’t been in the city long?” It confirmed Light’s suspicions that Ryuzaki wasn’t a native Japanese-speaker, despite his near flawless skill. “I’d be happy to act as your official tour guide if you can get away again.”

 

L chewed on his bottom lip, trying to decide how much to reveal. Would Light put things together if he gave an actual time frame on how long he had been in the country? Was he being overly cautious? Or would it be a _good_ thing if Light figured his identity out? The teen was certainly smart enough to put things together if he hadn’t been cautious enough, and L wasn’t sure yet whether he wanted to bring Light into _that_ part of his life _… No, just let me have something special outside of the case, just for a little bit longer._ His consideration finally resulted in a non-committal answer of, “Yeah, just a few months. I’ve been busy working since I got here, unfortunately. I usually have time off between projects to do fun things or relax, but this one has been particularly... intense, and I’ve been feeling a little... burnt out, lately. I often take little breaks to clear my head, found some decent cafes out in Midtown doing that, but...”

 

Hesitating, L shrugged, blushing as he said, “But it looks like I’m going to be in Japan for an indeterminate amount of time. So... since I’m not looking at leaving any time soon… Well.” A self-conscious laugh, “Hence the app. Funny how things work out, right?” _Even if I still think you didn’t swipe right on me on purpose… things couldn’t have worked out better._ L gave him a sidelong glance, squeezing his hand again, and asked, “So aside from anything involving getting a _room_ together, what are your favourite places to visit? Any good artists playing concerts here in the next few weeks that you want to see?”

 

Light’s eyes lit up at the mention of going to a concert together. “Oh I’d _love_ to go to a show! And actually my favorite band is playing the night after the entrance exam. Man With a Mission, do you like them?” Already he was thinking whether he could wheedle some front row seats out of Misa somehow. He’d been planning to go to the concert with some friends but this would be so much better.

 

Light’s sudden animation about going to a show instantly grabbed his attention, and L gave him a wide eyed look. “Actually, I don’t _think_ I’ve heard of them. What kind of music do they play?” As long as it wasn’t some country band… “I’m pretty down for most music, so chances are I would like at least some of their stuff.”

 

Light grinned when Ryuzaki showed interest in what music he liked. “You could say they’re a rock band, but they merge a lot of different styles. Rap, techno, metal, pop. I guess that increases the chances you’d like at least some of their songs.” Some people walking faster behind them bumped into him and he shot them a glare as they pushed past. His smile returned as he turned back to Ryuzaki. “If you want to go to the show, I know somebody that can likely get us great seats.” _Misa will wonder why I’m not taking her but I’ll make it up to her later._

 

Light’s description of the band’s music was intriguing, and L gave him an interested grin. “Sounds like the mix that’s already on my iPod. I’ll have to give them a listen first, but I _love_ going to shows when I can.”

 

The train station was looming just ahead and Light had the sudden need to kiss Ryuzaki one last time. But people were already staring at them now, at Ryuzaki’s neck in particular which was much starker in the broad daylight. _There’s a little alley though._ Light quickly pulled him into the alley and pressed him against the wall, uncaring that it was probably filthy.

 

L was looking down slightly, trying to imagine what the songs would sound like, and so was pleasantly surprised when Light tugged him aside and pressed him against the wall. “What-?”

 

“One more time....” Their lips collided and Light wasn’t going to hold back if this was it, one hand threading into Ryuzaki’s hair to tilt his head so his tongue could plunge deep.

 

The bag in L’s hand hit the ground with a dull thud as Light kissed him, and he let out a pleased sound into the kiss, reaching up to clutch at Light’s hair and shoulders, letting the teen’s tongue explore his mouth before sucking on it. He had always disapproved of public displays of affection before, but... _I will never look down on anyone for this again, it’s hot as hell._

 

Doing this in semi-public was more than a little thrilling, knowing that anyone could step in here and see them. Luckily no one did, and Light finally pulled away with a giggle. “Sorry, couldn’t help myself.” He took a deep breath, smiling down at the man slouched against the wall. “I don’t have much self-control around you do I?”

 

When Light finally pulled away, L was panting a little, a thrilled giggle escaping him at the comment. “You are not sorry at _all_ , don’t lie.” He beamed and leaned forward to press his forehead to Light’s as he straightened up. “I’m not going to complain. Though this _does_ go against your initial desire to keep us a secret.” Another quick peck to Light’s lips, and L was picking up the bag of sweets reluctantly. “Again, I rather like it, so I’m _not_ complaining. I can’t say I have much self-control around _you,_ either.”

 

“You’re right.” Light laughed at being called out. “I’m not sorry in the slightest.” He wasn’t ready to go, but his phone was buzzing in his pants pocket now to remind him of reality. “I know I said we should be discreet...I’m not doing a very good job of that. Oops.” Light wondered if this warm, giddy feeling was what everyone felt when infatuation took hold. He’d always scoffed at such sentiments in the past, especially when it made people act exactly like the kind of fool he was being right now. Throwing caution to the wind, taking risks, being soft. _What would people think if they saw Kira like this? Probably laugh their asses off._ The thought made him snort with amusement, planting one last kiss on Ryuzaki’s cheek before leaning up and brushing his hands off from the dirty wall.

 

L laughed, cheeks flushing and gazing at Light with a knowing grin as the teen leaned in once more to kiss his cheek. He well understood Light’s clear reluctance to leave. _Light… I am going to miss you so damn much._

 

“Alright, I suppose I can let you go now. If I _must_ .” It was probably best to just say their goodbyes here rather than be tempted to do something else _actually_ in public. “Thanks again for a wonderful time.” Light’s hand found Ryuzaki’s, squeezing it one last time as he backed out of the alley. “And check out that band. I bet you’ll like them.”

 

Squeezing his hand back, L said happily, “You’re welcome. And thank _you_ for being… well, _you_.” He let go reluctantly, stepping after Light and turning the other way as he called, “I will… call me later when you’re not busy!”

 

Light flashed Ryuzaki one last smile, their eyes meeting before he was swallowed up by the crowd beyond the alley. He tore his eyes away as he headed down the steps to buy a train ticket. As Light descended into the stairwell, Ryuk was there, half-phased into the people around him and chuckling softly. Light flicked his eyes up to the shinigami. “Don’t you even start. Else I’m not picking you up any apples on the way home.”

 

“Whaaaa, I didn’t say a thing!” Ryuk clapped a taloned hand over his mouth when he started guffawing anyway.

 

Light took his ticket and headed into the train, wondering what exactly had just happened to turn his whole world upside down in the matter of a day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ghost: So when Light asked L to help tie his tie, [this knot](https://personal.psu.edu/azm5923/Eldredge-Knot.jpg) was the result. 
> 
> ZJ: Weeee my favorite demon makes his appearance at long last  
> Ghost: I'm excited!
> 
> For the curious, Light's favourite band is [Man With A Mission](https://www.mwamjapan.info), and his favourite song is [Dead End In Tokyo](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjIiK9VcIsA). They are pretty awesome!
> 
> Also, this chapter marks the shift towards the main plot, so we hope you folks stick around for that as WELL as the smut!


	11. Back to Reality

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> L goes back to Kira HQ and is confronted by the team, as well as some disturbing intel collected in his absence. Light goes back to pretending to be the perfect son and student but notices something very odd about his bedroom door.

L made his way back towards the hotel, turning on his phone and chuckling ruefully at all the notifications he had missed. He was a little surprised to see that it was nearly 11:30 am already. “Shit, time really _does_ fly when you’re having fun,” he murmured. Clicking open his map app, he quickly typed in his _actual_ hotel address and selected a route, walking to the bus stop as he added Light’s number into his phone. How had he gotten so lucky? And how in the _hell_ was he going to be able to concentrate on his _job_ like this?

 

As he waited for his bus, he sent off a text to Watari: “ **On my way back. I trust no-one burned anything down in my absence.** _”_

 

He got a near immediate response, and glanced down, snorting in amusement when he saw that Watari had literally just sent a frown emoji. _Who taught him that? Probably Matsuda._ Either way, it didn’t warrant a response, so he slid his phone back into his coat pocket and pulled out his headphones, stuffing them in and pressing the play button as he dug some change out of his pocket. _Best day ever. I hope I can keep this going._

 

Half an hour later, as L neared the door of his suite at the Imperial hotel, he could hear the voices of the members of the task force, glancing down at the bag clutched in his hand and laughing near silently to himself. It was a weighty reminder of an incredible night, and an even sweeter morning, and he knew that crossing that threshold would dampen some of the euphoria he felt now. _Back to reality._ But he had _known_ that was going to happen since he had woken up, since before he’d even fallen asleep. There was nothing for it but to go in and brace himself for the inevitable questions Watari would ask. He could pretty much guarantee that none of the others would be comfortable even _looking_ at him, given the evidence of his... indiscretion. Taking a deep breath, he pushed open the door, trying not to feel self-conscious as the discussion stopped and every eye swiveled to him.

 

“Ryuzaki,” Chief Soichiro Yagami started as L set the bag of sweets down. He stood up quickly and the other officers all quickly followed suit, most of them bobbing into short bows of respect.

 

The bustle in the room stopped as soon as L took his coat off, hanging it back up on its hanger and turning to them. “Please carry on,” L said, his tone ironic to cover his sudden discomfort as he picked the bag back up and moved to the kitchen, depositing all but one box in the fridge. Silence reigned, and he could feel the scrutiny of every person in the room almost like a brand, a phantom hand clutched around his neck sending a pleasant chill through him in remembrance of the previous night. _I can still feel you all over my skin, Light._ He had to shake his head to keep his focus, banishing the shivering thoughts of soft lips and whispered words and eager hands (among _other_ things), and he opened the box of cake pops and set it down on the table beside his chair before climbing back into his customary position.

 

L’s gaze shifted around the room to each officer, watching with a detached sense of awkward amusement as, sure enough, each man immediately looked away uncomfortably. Suppressing the urge to laugh, he asked in a pointed tone, “Have there been any developments in the case in my absence?”

 

“... Ryuzaki.” Watari cleared his throat and finally spoke, since no-one else seemed to want to, and gestured vaguely at his own throat. “Are you... is... should I be concerned?”

 

“No.” L stared defiantly at him, and Watari merely shook his head and sighed. “What do _you_ have for me, Watari?”

 

Another sigh left the older man, and he left the room briefly, returning only moments later with a short stack of folders, setting them down beside the sweets. “All of the information you requested, every person Raye Penber was investigating.”

 

“Thank you, Watari.” L pulled the folders into his lap, and then picked up the box, holding it out towards the other men as he started to shift through the folders, hyper-focused now. “Cake pop? They’re from Gombei in Shinjuku.”

 

He sensed more than saw the hesitation as everyone stepped forward to take one of the proffered sweets, and a small ghost of a smile slid across his lips as he set the box back down, pulling one out for himself and stuffing it into his mouth, chewing as he flipped through and quickly discarded each folder. _I only have one more agent to follow up on after this, surely I’ll find SOMETHING I can use._ The information on Deputy Director Kitamura’s daughter gave him pause, and he set that one aside for future reference. The last folder, however, made him tense up, and he spit out the stick with a startled hiss, snatching up one of the pieces of paper between his thumb and forefinger. _Light was already a SUSPECT? I knew something felt familiar about him! Then all my suspicions about his behaviour throughout the evening were on point and not me just seeing red flags where there were none._

 

L’s gaze slid guiltily to Chief Yagami for a brief moment before hastily returning to the picture, and he hoped he wasn’t blushing noticeably as he quickly read the information. _Light Yagami. Model student. Son of the police chief, and wants to be a detective… Jesus, he’s only been 18 for a couple of weeks?! That would have been… Whatever. He could have had easy access to case information if he hacked his father’s server. Is hacking another one of your TALENTS, Light?_

 

“ _Watari_.” His voice was quiet, but no less harsh and cutting for that. “Did you prepare a team to set up direct home surveillance on any of these individuals?”

 

“Yes, sir. They are standing by awaiting your orders on which, if any, households will require equipment.”

 

L’s gaze flickered around to the NPA officers, all of whom had expressions ranging from shocked surprise to disgust to outright anger on their faces. _Oh please. You knew already based on my tactics up to now that I wouldn’t be averse to using measures like this._ “I will require surveillance set up immediately, today if at all possible, on both the Kitamura and Yagami households. There is a slim chance that Kira is one of the Yagami children, or Kitamura’s daughter. They all somewhat fit my active profile.” _No, Light Yagami is Kira. He has to be. That Tinder bio was a mess of red flags, he demonstrated the intelligence to pull it off, and the sex? Just because the sex was incredible..._ A shudder went through him and L hurriedly set the profile down on top of the folder, chewing at his thumbnail anxiously. _Kira has been a challenge at every turn, always coming in from an angle I don’t expect and fitting in alongside my own tactics as if they were made to go together. Light has the same... tastes as mine, but different enough that they complement each other rather than clashing. If Light Yagami is Kira…_

 

“ _Do you trust a stranger not to choke the life out of you?_ ” L slowly blew out a breath, trying to keep it from shaking, and his hand twitched, wanting to touch the bruises around his neck but not wanting to draw any more attention to it while with the others. They may not have had his level of observational skills, but they were still police officers, and therefore not completely oblivious to such an obvious tell. He should have been better composed than this. He _knew_ better. But _knowing_ and _feeling_ were two different things, and with this new information, he didn’t know _how_ he felt. _If Light Yagami is Kira, he literally held my life in his hands. And boasted about it. And I WANTED it. Still want it. Not very subtle, Kira... but then, I was just supposed to be a random hookup for you. I wasn’t supposed to make you FEEL. I wasn’t supposed to turn out to actually be your supposed enemy. How will you react when I tell you the truth?_

 

It took him a moment to realize that the clamouring he was hearing wasn’t _actually_ chaotic noise in his head from the startling revelation, but from Matsuda and Aizawa loudly protesting his declaration to ‘illegally’ watch these households. L rested his fingers lightly on top of Light’s picture, glaring the men down until they went silent. Mogi hadn’t spoken a word, and surprisingly enough, neither had the Chief, though _he_ (understandably) looked practically _murderous_. L suppressed a resigned sigh as he stared at the Chief, waiting for the outburst he was sure was coming.

 

“Ryuzaki,” the Chief finally said, face red and a blood vessel throbbing alarmingly at his temple. His tone was even and low, as if he were clenching his jaw in an effort to be polite. “I cannot condone you using home surveillance to try and catch Kira. _Especially_ on members of the NPA or their families. It’s _illegal._ ”

 

“Chief Yagami-san,” L said, mustering up his most respectful tone, only belied by the flat expression on his face. “With all due respect. I am well aware of the laws. However, considering Kira’s reach, considering how many people Kira has killed in just under _four months_ , time is of the essence. We can not afford to be squeamish if we are to catch him... or her... before they kill too many more people.” L paused to reflect silently on that before mentally berating himself; now was _not_ the time for that familiar train of thought. “There is only a slim chance that either of your children could be who we are after. Think of this more as a... precautionary measure, a way to rule out anyone who might be Kira rather than as an accusation of guilt.”

 

There was silence for a good two minutes as Yagami chewed that over and everyone else waited with bated breath to see what he would say. “Fine,” Yagami finally said in a harsh voice. “Then if you insist that this is necessary, you have my permission. But I insist you be _thorough_. I want bugs and cameras installed even in the bathrooms, hallways, every _inch_ of the house so that nothing is missed!”

 

L hesitated and then nodded. “Of course. I understand. Thank you, Yagami-san.” _I was already planning to do just that, anyway._ Turning to Watari, who been waiting patiently for his instructions, L said in a quiet voice, “Do it. No blind spots. Be as efficient as possible, and let me know when everything is set up so we can get the system online.” Watari nodded slightly to him and left immediately, pulling out his cell phone and leaving L with his thoughts.

 

_Maybe if I can observe Light with other people and compare that to how he was with me…_

 

“But Chief!” Matsuda burst out, looking far more upset than anyone else in the room. “Think of your wife! Think of your _daughter_!”

 

_There was something REAL between us, I know it... I need to know if my suspicions are correct._

 

“I know, Matsuda!” the Chief burst out, leaning forward and banging his fist down on the top of the coffee table. “I _know_ my family is innocent, but I need to prove their innocence to Ryuzaki beyond a shadow of a doubt! This will be meaningless if it isn’t done right!”

 

 _They are so overdramatic,_ L thought to himself, gaze going back to the picture resting beneath his fingertips, even now feeling the rush of adrenaline and anticipation of whatever was to come next. He _still_ wanted Light to call him, wanted to see him again. _Proof. If I get something tangible, I’ll know how to move forward. Light… KIRA. Please give me something._

 

**\----a few hours later, at the Yagami household----**

 

Everything went as smoothly as it usually did for Light, his parents hadn’t even questioned him when he came back with his study notes in hand and a look of tired determination on his face. Misa had been slightly harder to placate, as she’d immediately assumed he was on a date with some other girl. But Light knew by now how to handle her petulant jealousies, petting her with sweet words and the promise of a lunch date (at some unmentioned time in the unlikely future). In the space of ten minutes, she went from irate to putty in his hands again. Of course, Ryuk was insufferable after he got his apples, but Light had expected as much. _At least he finds this entertaining, that’s a relief._

 

There was actual studying he’d committed to that afternoon, the cram session that his Mom had reminded him of. It wasn’t needed and would likely be a gigantic waste of time, but he had a plan for that. The tutor was an old windbag much more interested in the illusion of attention than actual engagement, so the free page of the death note under his notes was a cinch to conceal. Light hadn’t gotten any writing in the night before and there was lost time to make up for. His thoughts kept being invaded by Ryuzaki though, the things they’d said and done, his smile, the anticipation of seeing him again.

 

There was a span of time where Ryuk caught him just staring down at the death note page, paused mid-name with _other_ thoughts on his mind and a smirk creeping across his face. The shinigami cackled, “No one looks at sociology notes like _that_ , Light-o!”

 

It was past dinner time when he finally got home. He ascended the stairs to his room and was so lost in his own world he nearly forgot to check the position of the handle, the presence of the paper and pencil lead in the doorjamb. He remembered at the last moment as his fingertips hovered over the knob. _Paper’s still there, but, wait....That’s not right...the pencil lead...it’s broken! Someone’s been in here while I was out this afternoon._ Light’s guts clenched at that realization but outwardly he was calm as still water. _I can’t act any differently than I usually would._ He removed the piece of paper from the door,  going inside and setting down his book bag while ignoring Ryuk’s questions and silly commentary. He immediately turned right back around and headed downstairs again, going out the door as he called over his shoulder to Sachiko, “Just heading to the corner store for some chips, be back in a minute!” It wasn’t until he was halfway down the street that he finally whispered to Ryuk, cold fear in his heart if not on his face, “Ryuk, I think someone bugged my room.”

 

**\----Midtown, at Kira HQ----**

 

True to form, L’s team had had the surveillance set up quickly and efficiently, and all the necessary information from the initial sweep had been delivered. It had been… a difficult challenge for L to remain calm throughout the process, and at one point, he had been forced to excuse himself to run to the roof and try not to hyperventilate, because _what the fuck was he doing,_ especially when he was supposed to be _impartial_? _It feels like my family’s arson case all over again, I’m too close to this, what the HELL_ \- but he had eventually calmed down and returned, grateful when no-one asked where he had disappeared to.

 

It was dinnertime at the Yagami household, and though L had been watching the screens with a fixed stare, hunched over his knees and thumb in his mouth, he could tell that the Chief was heavily uncomfortable. So far, it was just Sayu and Sachiko bustling around the different feeds, either in the kitchen finishing up dinner or, in Sayu’s case, dancing around her room to some obnoxious pop song that L was trying not to bop along to.

  
  
“Yagami-san, have you contacted your wife at all to let her know you wouldn’t be home?” L finally asked. His gaze slid sideways briefly to the Chief, only to immediately snap back to one of the screens when Light appeared, coming in the front door. It took an enormous effort to not tense up on seeing the teen, though he was sure he was flushing as everything they had said and done in the past twenty-four hours rushed back to him. _And there he is. Beautiful as he was this morning._ “Of course, you should refrain from telling her the exact reason, but if you haven’t done that yet, you really should,” he managed to say in a calm, if subdued, voice.

  
  
“Ryuzaki, I already _did_ that,” Yagami said sternly, and L didn’t answer, gaze following Light as he made the journey up to his room. Curiously, the teen stopped in front of his door for a moment before heading in, only to deposit his things and turn right back around.

  
  
“He uses that piece of paper to see if anyone has been in his room. When did he start doing that?” L asked, tilting his head.

 

The Chief gave him a sharp look. “I’m not sure.”

  
  
“Hmm.” _So he’s already acting unusual. What are you hiding in there, Light? It’s probably nothing._ “I suppose I did things that didn’t make sense when I was his age too.” Even in his head, it didn’t sound convincing. “And the paper was the only sign they found of him checking if someone had been in his room?”

  
  
“To my knowledge, yes…”

 

L nodded and hunched back down, his gut churning. For the first time, it felt _wrong_ to be conducting surveillance like this. _And if Light IS Kira… what then? According to Watari, there were no kills made last night, which is unusual for Kira, and coincides with the time Light was with me. What am I going to do? What will HE do when he finds out? I don’t want this to be over before it’s even had a chance to go anywhere._

 

“Ryuzaki, I hope you have some sort of plan.”

  
  
“Yes, Yagami-san,” L said after a long moment, closing his eyes briefly. “We watch and wait to see if Kira makes a move and kills any criminals who are announced on the news tonight, to start. It’s only the first day of surveillance.” _How do you do it, Light?_

 

**\----meanwhile, at the Yagami household---**

 

Light had already very carefully checked his clothes for bugs or anything unusual as he leisurely walked down the street, satisfied there were none before speaking to Ryuk in a low whisper. “One of the traps on my bedroom door was broken. Someone was in my room but they put the paper back. Didn’t want me to know they’d been there.” _But didn’t notice the lead. Would L have overlooked it? He probably sent someone else to do it. Lucky for me._ His eyes flicked around the street. “Is anyone following me again?” Raye and the other FBI agents had already been swept aside, but it was certainly possible that L had sent a new tail.

 

Ryuk zoomed around the block to check, returning in an instant. “Nuh-uh. Ever since that one guy was bein’ annoying, I’d notice. Nobody’s followed you since him.” He flapped along in silence a while. “You thinkin’ that L’s doing this?”

 

Light sighed quietly, “Who else?” And what did it mean that this surveillance occurred _right_ after he came back from his tryst with the mysterious Ryuzaki? Ryuzaki, who was _so_ cryptic about his job and his currently ‘intense project,’ who’d only arrived in Japan a few months ago, who was so hesitant to share his number? The first thing Light had tried to do when he’d gotten back home was to use his father’s police resources to try and trace it that number. _Just like I thought, nothing at all. That should be impossible._ It had seemed suspicious then, but now, with what had happened in his room, it was a glaring red danger sign.

 

He was starting to really _believe_ rather than suspect that Ryuzaki was either L or working for him, and it was a distinct possibility he’d been set up on Tinder this whole time. The deep disappointment and hurt of that made him nauseous, and he feared it was compromising his judgment badly. If Ryuzaki was L or one of his minions...not only had Light been used and lied to, tricked, not only was he in terrible danger, but...it would mean that everything that happened with Ryuzaki was meaningless and he should never see him again. _And why does that last part sting worst of all?_

 

The bells in the shop door tinkled as Light walked into the mini-mart. If he was being watched by L’s team, they would be waiting for him to show how he killed and suspicious as to why he’d trapped his door with the paper. Last night had been an unusual lapse in his activity ( _which, damn it, aligns to when Ryuzaki kept me busy)_ , and he couldn’t afford another. He needed an excuse for the traps right away. _What’s the best excuse for a teenage male to be secretive?_

 

He wandered over to the rack of softcore girlie magazines, but this presented another problem. While his parents didn’t know he was gay, Ryuzaki certainly did. _My father’s on the team, I don’t want him to find out like this. But if Ryuzaki’s watching, will he know it’s a lie? I guess he could think I was bi. No way am I going to look at actually arousing porn if my father might be watching._ He chose one of the least-explicit girlie mags along with some of his favorite chips and went to the counter to pay, adding an apple and a bottle of crazy glue as well.

 

Stepping outside with his bag, Light nonchalantly walked around to the side of the store. He whispered, “Ryuk, I need you to go in there and grab me one of those tiny TVs. The one behind the counter in the red box.” Light didn’t have enough money for the tiny expensive TV, but it was integral to being able to watch the news tonight right under L’s nose. He held up the shiny apple with a grin, “Come on….please?”

 

Ryuk crossed his arms, chuckling quietly. “Oh, I see how it is. Makin’ a thief outta me!” But he rolled his eyes and swiped the apple, phasing into the store and back out again with the TV in his wings. Yanking it out he shoved it at Light, “Here ya go. You’re a bad influence on me, hyuk.”

 

“Pfft. If that’s not the pot talking to the kettle.” Light laughed as he hid the little TV in the bag of chips (the flavor only he and no one else in his family liked), sealing it back up with crazy glue so it looked undisturbed. “Alright, _now_ I’m ready to give L a little show tonight.” He came back out from the alley and headed back towards home, feeling smug but keeping a placid expression. _Just one more thing._ Nonchalantly, he whispered, “You know, Ryuk, it occurs to me you won’t be able to eat any apples as long as I’m being watched at home. We can’t have L seeing them float around and disappear.”

 

“Hyuk!!” Ryuk startled, not liking the sound of that one bit. His wings drooped, “Uhhhh, what’re we gonna do then??!” He gave Light a look as if he was asking what to do to avoid the apocalypse.

 

Light looked up at his house, pushing the gate open with a smile. “Guess you need to find them all so we can see if there’s a safe spot. Think of it like a game.” _Find all L’s illegal cameras._

 

Ryuk grumbled but shot off like a bolt into the house, and Light headed into the kitchen to put the ‘special’ chips in the pantry.

 

**\----Midtown, at Kira HQ----**

 

“ _That’s_ your grand plan?!” The look of horror on Soichiro’s face only deepened. “Just to watch?!”

 

L shot a look at Yagami, annoyed by the outburst even if he understood it. “What do you expect me to do, Yagami-san? I am not omniscient, no matter what ridiculous stories you may have heard of me. I cannot prevent something when I have no foreknowledge of what’s going to happen. I can only watch and wait, same as _you._ ”

 

He turned back to the screens, face flushed from both anger at the situation, and anticipation. His attention was glued to the screen showing the front door, waiting for Light to reappear again. “I _do_ have some ideas of how we can proceed in the coming days, but a lot of that will depend on what Kira does tonight. We’ve already had more killings throughout the afternoon, so whatever last night’s lapse was, it seems to have been an anomaly so far. We will _both_ need to be patient if we are to get through this, so _please_ refrain from reacting so irritably.”

 

The Chief lapsed into disgruntled silence, and L sighed, relieved. He really didn’t want things to get even _more_ awkward between them - despite his flat demeanour around the task force, he actually _did_ like most of them. They were competent enough, and Soichiro Yagami in particular had an admirable sense of justice. He wasn’t going to _say_ anything about it, that wasn’t his way, but… _I’ve already made things awkward today, I can’t afford to let my personal feelings get in the way any more than they already have._ He glanced down at his phone surreptitiously, like he’d been doing all afternoon, but there were still no messages of any kind. _What did you really expect?_

 

“Ryuzaki.” When L looked back up, expression neutral, the Chief continued. “How long do you plan on keeping the surveillance up for?”

 

L stared at him, chewing on his bottom lip as he considered how to answer, or even if he _should,_  and finally turned his attention back to the screens with a sigh. “Seven days. If we don’t have any conclusive evidence for or against in seven days time, then we aren’t likely to _get_ any.” _Depending on what we get in the first few days, a week might even be excessive. But we’ll see how things progress._

  
L’s gaze followed Light’s path again as the teen deposited a bag of chips into the cupboard. He perked up, curious when Light started upstairs, a paper bag still clutched in his hand. “What’s in the shopping bag, do you think?” _He clearly noticed something about the door. Does he know already that he’s being watched, or am I just being paranoid… no, Kira would have more than one obvious method of detecting if someone was in his room. The paper is too obvious. What does he need to hide?_ A small smirk crossed his face, and he quickly pressed his fingers to his mouth to hide it. _Unless he’s got lots of kinky gay porn hidden somewhere in his room that he doesn’t want his family to know about…_ The sudden flush of arousal at that thought made him grateful for baggy jeans and his multitude of odd habits. _That_ would have been awkward to explain if Yagami noticed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ZJ: Oh L, if you only knew what was hidden around his room. You might not be too far off 😝  
> Ghost: Yeah L, I don't think you're hiding *things* as well as you think 🤔  
> L: ... What is this, the Funtime ‘pick on L’ hour? 😒  
> Light: I have to say, it takes some balls to just walk back into your HQ with my handprint around your neck, Ryuzaki. Too bad the rest of the team didn’t seem to enjoy the cake pops as much as we did.  
> Light: Although I don’t think anyone enjoys a cake pop as much as you do. 😉 They should give you the energy to watch me being a perfectly normal, innocent student on your illegal cameras. *nods*  
> L: I’ll be honest, I was torn on whether or not to make a stop first to find something to hide the bruises, but then I decided it’s MY show, and they’re using MY resources now, so they could deal. 👀 Besides, I’m not ashamed to like what I like.  
> L: ... and I also don’t know shit about makeup. 😒


	12. Thirsty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> L's been watching Light with his surveillance cameras, and seen a few surprising things. Light uses his chips ruse to write in the death note but can't help but taunt L a little.

Light was an absolute wreck on the inside, although you wouldn’t have known it from looking at him. _Which was the whole point since I’m being watched._ He wasn’t sure if he wanted to run or rage or cry, alternating between pure excitement that everything he’d done could have been _with L..._ and then, if it was, how it _must_ have been a set-up to try and lure him into saying or doing something incriminating. He’d stopped himself multiple times that day from calling or texting Ryuzaki, knowing he couldn’t, and for so many reasons. Not the least of which was that his father wasn’t here, which must mean he was at work and therefore likely watching this surveillance too. His phone was likely being traced, his conversations monitored. If Ryuzaki was L or wasn’t L, he didn’t want his father of all people to know what he’d done.

 

 _Oh god, what if Ryuzaki told him...what if my father already knows what we did?_ The thought made him want to sink into the kitchen floor and disappear, but he only spoke mildly to his mother as he helped her wash some dishes. Sayu was watching her inane soap opera in the background, squealing when her favorite TV star Hideki Ryuga came on-screen to deliver sappy lines about true love and fate.

 

“Light!! Light you should come in here and watch this! He’s about to tell his girlfriend he loves her but they…” Sayu sobbed a little, “...can’t be together. Oh, it’s so beautiful, star-crossed soulmates….”

 

Light and his mother exchanged bemused glances and for a moment he was just a son again, enjoying being with his family. He dried his hands with a smile, going over to sit with Sayu on the couch and ruffling her hair. “You know that’s not real, silly. Soulmates don’t exist.”

 

Sayu was beyond listening though, her eyes glued to the screen with rapt attention. “Hrmph. Does too. You’re just jealous because he’s as pretty as you are.” She nudged him in the ribs, never missing an opportunity to rib her big brother’s vanity. Sarcastically, “Maybe even prettier!”

 

Light rolled his eyes, thinking that if L really _was_ watching this he’d think they were a family of imbeciles. “No, I just think you’d do better to spend your time doing something a little more serious?” Sayu had struggled with math in particular this school year, and loathed studying even when Light tried to help her.

 

Sayu stuck her tongue out at Light, making a silly face before turning back to her soap.

 

 **\----Midtown, at Kira HQ----** \-----

 

Watching the Yagami family have dinner had been… _boring_ , but informative. Maybe not for the case. But L watched with rapt fascination anyway, just to see how Light interacted with his family. _He clearly loves them very much, doesn’t he?_ Even if the teen had his pleasant facade up, L could see the sincerity in his face every so often, the same sincerity that he’d seen so much the night before. That particular observation sent a tingling warmth through him, even as he sighed.

 

“Everything okay, Ryuzaki?” Chief Yagami asked, startling L out of his thoughts.

 

L merely nodded, watching the screen carefully before reaching for his cell, flipping it open and dialing Watari’s number.

 

“Yes?” Watari’s voice came through expectantly.

 

“Are the Kitamura’s all watching TV right now, Watari?” L asked, eyes fixed on Light as his heart pounded. _Now for the first test. Please don’t disappoint me, Light._

 

“Yes, Ryuzaki. They are all watching the news currently.”

 

“Good. Have them run the fake news bulletin on the news station, as well as channel six, please.” L hung up when Watari agreed, and leaned forward in anticipation, chewing on his thumbnail, eyes fixed on Light. _Kira wouldn’t fall for this trick more than once. Will you, Light?_

 

**\---the Yagami household---**

 

After a moment the program was interrupted and a red emergency bar started scrolling at the bottom of the program. “Hey! Get this off my show!” Sayu gasped, “What?! This says that...1500 detectives are coming to Japan just to focus on the Kira case!”

 

 _That_ surely got Light’s attention and he looked up sharply to read the repeating message as Sachiko bustled in from the kitchen. His mother leaned over the back of the couch, “Hmm. They must be serious about catching Kira quickly to assign that many resources.” Beneath her tone was also worry, for her husband was assigned to this very case yet unable to speak of it much.

 

Light’s face remained impassive but he took a deep breath and leaned back next to Sayu. _Nice try, L._ Now he was 100% certain he was being watched by L. Ryuk had confirmed the presence of over 60 cameras earlier through the entire house, but still…. _still_ Light had hoped maybe it was just some precaution related to his father. _But my father isn’t here. This is for me. To watch my reaction. Best not disappoint._

 

“It’s a fake.” Both Sayu and Sachiko turned to him in amazement, clearly wondering why he thought so. “This is just a tactic to put pressure on Kira. It this were real, INTERPOL would never be so stupid as to announce a secret investigation like this.” _Does that mean you think me stupid, L?_ “Kira would never fall for this.” He tried not to look too annoyed that L would have thought the exact same tactic he used in the Lind L. Tailor stunt would work again, as if Light wouldn’t learn something from that. At the same time, he couldn’t help but point out the fallacy, even if he _was_ being watched. Or maybe because of that very thing. It was that same old thrill again, knotting hard in his stomach as he got up to go get the very particular bag of chips in the pantry. _The thrill of being so close to getting caught, and getting away with it._

 

“I’m going upstairs to study before bed. I don’t want to be disturbed and I may be up late, so I’ll say goodnight now.” Light pecked Sayu on the head and his mother on the cheek before heading upstairs with the chips. “Good night.”

 

**\----Midtown, at Kira HQ----**

 

The ladies of the household seemed to believe the ruse, and it took all of L’s willpower _not_ to roll his eyes at that, but Light…

 

“Kira would never..” L murmured, smiling around his thumb and trying to keep his breathing even. _Yes! That’s what I wanted to hear. Good instincts, Light. Though now you’ll have to work extra hard to convince me you’re NOT Kira._ “Your son is… very intelligent, Yagami-san.”

 

“Hmm?” L glanced aside at the Chief, and smiled at his perplexed expression. “Yes, well…”

 

“Top of his class, good deductive skills,” L continued, looking back to the screen and staring intently, trying to ignore the flush on his cheeks. _Absolutely gorgeous and fantastic with his hands._ “You must be very proud of him.”

 

“Is there a point to this?”

 

“Merely an observation,” L said softly, taking a slow breath as he shifted his eyes to different screens to follow Light’s path. Studying, eh? He saw the lie for what it was, Light had already told him he knew all of the material. _What are you going to do, Light?_ “Turn on the TV to your left, please, Yagami-san, and switch it to the news.” Now for the _real_ test. _Show me how you kill, KIRA._

 

**\----back at the Yagami household---**

 

“Gonna write?” Ryuk knew the drill, that as long as they were inside the house, Light couldn’t respond to him verbally. But that didn’t mean the shinigami wasn’t watching Light like a hawk. “Gotta say, Light-o, if you pull this one off I’ll be pretty impressed.”

 

Light didn’t respond as he went about his usual bedtime routine, getting into pajamas before digging into his backpack for his study notes. He put them on the desk beside the large bag of chips housing the mini-TV, but went to lounge on his bed where the shopping bag from the mini-mart sat. _Alright. Now to give them a mundane reason that a teenage guy might want to know if people were going into his room._ He ignored Ryuk’s guffawing over his shoulder as he pulled the only slightly lewd magazine from the paper bag, turning to lie on his stomach as he pretended to admire the cover girl. _Yuck. Those aren’t natural and neither is your nose. Even if I wasn’t gay this wouldn’t be very attractive._

 

Ryuk, for his part, had his long stupid tongue lolling out of his head, and Light nearly expected him to start saying ‘hubba hubba.’ _Oh god, please don’t or I’ll bust out laughing and blow all of this._ Light took a deep breath and tried to look as interested as possible as he turned the glossy pages one by one, the bikini-clad models leering back at him in supposedly tantalizing  poses. Now that he was actually doing it, he wished he’d taken the time to pick something better, but this was one of the cheaper mags and it showed. _Busty Beach Babes. Well that’s an understatement. Practically popping out the seams here but I guess this is what guys find attractive?_ His eyes were glazing over slightly but he kept turning the pages, only giving a single side-long glance at where he kept his _real_ porn. A large hollowed-out textbook labelled ‘Advanced Calculus’ so he knew for absolute certain that Sayu would never, ever touch it.

 

Light got to the end of the magazine, sighing for the benefit of his voyeurs, “Ah, looks like I was fooled by the cover again.” _Pfft. The cover was the worst thing about this!_ He stood up and walked to his bookcase, opening another hollowed-out book (that he’d planned to fill with more good porn but hadn’t gotten to it yet) and hiding it inside before placing it back on the shelf. “Oh well.”

 

**\----Midtown, at Kira HQ----**

 

 _Busty Beach Babes? Come on, Light, if you wanted to fool me, you could do better than that,_ L thought to himself, unable to hold back his slight snort at the lame attempt to appear ‘normal’. Even with his own attraction to women, occasionally, _this_ type of porn had never appealed.

 

“I can’t believe my son is looking at this kind of thing,” Yagami muttered, clearly mortified by what was happening on the screen.

 

“Well, he _is_ a teenager,” L murmured, trying to keep his smirk inward. “It’s normal to be curious. Surely you remember.” Light’s reaction to the magazine didn’t escape him; his eyes seemed practically glazed over, his attempt at appearing interested in the images falling flat to L’s eyes. _Besides, I know what kinds of things you REALLY like, and this vanilla dreck is NOT it._ He _did_ take a mental note of Light’s hiding place for the porn, if he ever ended up visiting the house himself… well, there was likely to be another hiding spot with whatever Light _actually_ liked, that was a little _too_ convenient.

 

**\----back at the Yagami household---**

 

Light stretched lazily, turning back to his desk and trying extremely hard to hold back the grin that was itching to get out. _And now the real fun begins._  He slid into his desk, turning on the lamp and pulling his notes in front of him. A page of the death note was already hidden amongst them from earlier, and he uncovered just the very edge of it so there was a blank space to write. On top were various “hard” math problems that were supposed to take him several days to solve. _Heh, well. Maybe for everyone else._ Light had already pointed the end of the chips towards the one camera-blind spot in the room (which Ryuk had told him about earlier), and he casually opened the bag while staring down at his notes. _Now reach inside and turn it on, no sound, and just take a look every now and then._ He picked up his pencil and got to work on his math problems, focusing hard on keeping his breathing even and slow even as adrenaline was pumping through him. _Take a chip...see a name…_ Light worked to the end of the math problem to the bottom of the page and let his pencil drift slightly lower, quickly writing the name of the criminal on the screen. The action was making him half-hard, and he hunched forward slightly to hide it in his baggy pajamas as he repeated the action of writing math, writing death over and over.

 

It wasn’t perfect, even Light knew that. Because one, the criminals that were appearing on the news weren’t the usually heinous ones that Kira liked to focus on. They weren’t completely outside of his pattern either, but these would not have been the ones Light would have picked if he’d had all the opportunity in the world to do so. _But I don’t have that. I just need criminals to die while it appears I’m not behind it, because if L is watching, he’ll know right away if they are dead. And here I am, the serious student._ Light let out a hard exhale at that, feeling himself stiffen even more as he thought of Ryuzaki, of L...sneakily observing this choreography for his sole benefit. Half of him wanted to give that dirty voyeur the show Light betted he _really_ wanted to see. But no, not when his father could be watching, not a chance.

 

The math finished and the news over, Light had managed to write 8 names and was completely confident that it had been hidden. _Mmm, I wish I could get into my real stash now and take care of this tension, dammit._ Grinning on the inside but looking just tired and bored externally, he crumpled up the “empty” chips bag and put it in the trash.

 

**\----Midtown, at Kira HQ----**

 

“Oh thank _goodness,”_ the Chief breathed when Light moved to the desk. L just gave him a flat look, not even bothering to hide his irritation as he rolled his eyes.

 

“Focus, please,” he said, gaze flickering over to the tv with the news on it. Nothing to do but wait. It didn’t actually take all _that_ long for a criminal to be displayed on the news, and L looked immediately to the different screens. Sayu was on the phone in her room, her program having finished, Sachiko was listening to some radio program in the kitchen, and Light… was studying. The TV on his desk was off, conspicuously, as far as L was concerned. Despite that, though, as his gaze flicked from Light back to the news, he found himself frowning as the news reported the purse-snatcher’s apparent death. _That isn’t Kira’s normal type of criminal._ He looked back at the surveillance screens and leaned forward more, hands clenched tightly over his knees now. _How are you doing this?!_

 

The only indication that anything might have been amiss was a slight flush to Light’s face, barely detectable unless one knew what to look for, and that hard exhale, which could easily have been explained away by boredom with his homework. L knew better. He recognized what was happening. _Something_ had Light excited. Whatever was going on, it was obvious now that this was all a show for L’s benefit. _He knows he’s being watched. Even if he’s NOT Kira, and I would stake my life on it that he IS, whatever he is doing, he’s doing it to taunt me._ More criminals died, most of little consequence, but he could only fixate on Light. By the time Light ‘gave up’ on his ‘studying’ for the night, it was all L could do to keep his breathing even, and he was back to hunching over his knees to hide the evidence of his arousal from the Chief. How _frustrating._

 

“Ryuzaki, surely all of this clears my family of any possible connection to the Kira killings,” Yagami said, finally, frowning hard over at him.

 

L shook his head, sighing. “This only proves that Kira is good at thinking on their feet, if Kira _is_ in fact under our surveillance,” L said softly, rubbing his toes lightly against the leather of his chair, wishing the man would shut up and maybe _go away_ for a bit so he could take care of his _problem_ in peace. “But if you like, you may return home for a little bit. I’m not going to be able to sleep anytime soon, so I won’t miss any details in your absence.” Fat chance of _that_ happening.

 

Yagami looked surprised by that. “And you expect me to be able to act naturally when I know I’m being watched?”

 

“I will be the only one to see this footage, _you_ aren’t under suspicion,” L responded, frowning. “It was merely a suggestion, either take it or leave it. I don’t care either way.”

 

“I _would_ like to see my wife…”

 

 _Just make a damn decision._ It took all of L’s willpower to _not_ glare at the man, or tap his feet in frustration, but he managed… barely.

 

The Chief nodded, and rose, grabbing his coat. “Well, in that case, I will only be gone for a few hours. I can take over the surveillance when I return if you need to get any sleep.”

 

L gave him a look and nodded, waving him off. “That’s fine. See you then.” _I can’t believe he’s actually taking me up on that offer. At least I’ll get some peace for a bit, where I don’t have to temper my reactions._

 

The moment Yagami left, L stood up and bolted for his laptop. He hadn’t thought about it until now, but… considering Light’s excitement tonight, it seemed entirely likely that there had been more than _one_ reason the teen had been so enamoured of kissing him in plain sight in the hotel. _Does he LIKE the possibility of being caught?_ As soon as the startup processes finished, L loaded up one of his specialized hacking programs and set to work hacking into the security system at the Park Hyatt. He needed to make sure there was _no_ footage on that system of him and Light together, just in case.

 

**\----back at the Yagami household---**

 

Light brushed his teeth and scrubbed his face after his little stunt, feeling extremely self-satisfied but at the same time _extremely_ frustrated. Even without thinking that L was watching him, writing in the death note always...did things to him. He was never sure if it was some magic or just the rush of power and danger, but since he’d gotten the cursed thing there’d never been a night he hadn’t dug into his good porn afterwards. Maybe it was like a compulsion, but right now there was no outlet. He’d just have to go to bed hard and...well, that was it. He wouldn’t be able to do anything. For days! _Dammit!_

 

He exhaled an irritated breath as he stepped from his bathroom and laid down on his bed, reaching over to turn off his bedside lamp. Ryuk’s golden eyes glowed brightly from across the room and he couldn’t even tell the demon to scram. _Don’t look flustered. All you did was boring math._ He tried to shut his eyes but each time he did there was an image of Ryuzaki behind them. _That gag in his mouth. The look on his face when he came. How he crawled to me..._ Light turned his face into his pillow and whispered, “Fuck.” Just the filthy thoughts he was having were almost enough to make him come in his pajama pants, and he squirmed uncomfortably against the mattress for something, anything. _This is torture._

 

However he turned his face away from his pillow when he heard the front door open and shut, and the soft voices of his parent downstairs. His breath sped slightly, the covers over his chest rising as he listened closer... _yes, he’s really home, which means he’s not THERE, not watching me._ But that didn’t mean that L had sent everyone home, and of course L himself was definitely still watching this. No way he wouldn’t, not after criminals died and he can’t figure it out. _But that’s what I want, isn’t it? For L to be watching, and no one else. And is it you, Ryuzaki? Are you him?_

 

Light heard his parents make their way upstairs and head into their bedroom down the hall past his, the door closing and finally everything was quiet. It was late, 2 am. For all he knew everyone on the team was asleep and they’d all just review the footage in the morning. _But if he is watching, and it_ **_is_ ** _Ryuzaki, would he delete the footage or use it to humiliate me?_ He wrestled with his doubts and fears, weighing them against his screaming need to get off along with the very, very tempting exhibitionist thrill of it all.

 

_Fuck it._

 

He pulled his shirt off and turned to look at Ryuk, glaring so hard that the shinigami squeaked and sunk right through the floor. Light wet his lips, looking around the room casually to mentally remind himself of where all the cameras were that Ryuk told him about. _Seems odd that there were more than a few aimed right at my bed. Is that the pervert in Ryuzaki or just a coincidence?_ He couldn’t look at any of them in particular, he knew that much wasn’t safe. _Well, if I’m caught, I’ll just be embarrassed is all, I_ **_am_ ** _a teenager._

 

Rationalizations complete, Light pushed his pajama pants down under the covers and kicked them away. He brought his hand to his mouth and spat in it, reaching down beneath the sheets to smooth it over himself. A soft gasp passed his lips, his eyes closing as he started to stroke himself slow at first, just remembering everything in eidetic detail from the night before and playing it all back like a film reel in his mind.

 

He smiled slightly, thinking, _what’s the point if he can’t really see? Anyone watching this NOW certainly wouldn’t think I knew about the surveillance._ Light kicked the sheets down, stroking a little faster, his eyes opening to stare up at one camera just a little too long before looking away again. _What an elaborate farce this is Ryuzaki. You could be here right now instead of my hand, why aren’t you?_ His hand sped, back arching up from the bed in a thrust as he felt his heart racing faster, the pleasure building higher. _Oh fucking glory, come find me._

 

**\----Midtown, at Kira HQ----**

 

It was relatively short work for L to find all of the footage of the two of them and download it to his laptop before deleting it, and then he was left with nothing to do but contemplate the situation he found himself in. “What the hell am I _doing_?” he murmured, rubbing at the bridge of his nose as he set his laptop aside. Idly, he glanced at the surveillance feed, drifting over the feed from Sachiko and Soichiro’s room quickly before looking away, and then he found his attention caught by Light. Again. The teen seemed to be… laying awake and listening? For what?

 

His breath caught when Light’s hand slithered under the covers, eyes closing and lips parting silently. Frowning slightly, L turned the muted sound up just a bit, wanting to _hear_ what was going on - and there it was. That tantalizing voice, making only the softest of noises, but far more erotic for it. _And is this little show for me as WELL?_ L thought, breathing in harshly, fingers clenching at the arm of the chair and the remote as well, and toes digging in to keep him steady as he watched Light’s hand move underneath the covers.

 

“What are you _doing,_ Light?” he whispered, mouth dry. When Light kicked away the sheets, all L could do for a long moment was stare, eyes flicking to the different screens showing Light’s bed, but always, _always_ coming back to the one right above it, taking in the entire erotic, tantalizing show. When Light looked _right_ into the camera for a long moment, L lost it. “ _Fuck._ ” Trembling, he fumbled with the zipper on his jeans, quickly plunging his hand inside and gripping himself.

 

“ _Jesus,_ Light,” he whispered harshly, more a reprimand to himself than to the teen who wasn’t even in the room. _Am I really doing this?_ His hips bucked upwards lightly at the way Light looked, straining into his hand, writhing against the sheets, and L whimpered - _yesss -_ unable to stop himself from imagining being there with Light right that second. How it would feel to ride him as the teen writhed under him, how he would taste of toothpaste when they kissed, how Light’s hand would feel stroking him instead of his own hand. His breathing came harsh as he watched, wide-eyed and squirming, timing his strokes to try and match Light’s - he had been hard for far too long tonight, and he knew he was going to come _hard_ from this. “ _Are_ you Kira?” he whispered, licking his lips, wishing he were there with Light to ask the question, and he circled his thumb over his slit, a sharp moan leaving him as his cock jerked in his hand, nearly on the edge.

 

\--- **at the Yagami household---**

 

Light wanted to look into the camera again but forced himself not to, but he _wanted_ so badly for Ryuzaki to realize that he _knew._ Knew he was watching, knew who he was and what he was doing. Knew it wasn’t going to work. _No, I’ll win, I can’t stop now._ He moaned slightly louder than he meant to as he imagined his hand around Ryuzaki’s neck... _L’s neck..._ this time, squeezing harder until he admitted it all. He clapped a hand over his mouth to stifle his moans, eyes screwed shut now or he WOULD glare into the camera and challenge him right back to throw down his worst and let Kira fuck their differences away. The hand crept down his chest, raking nails as he panted soft moans he prayed his parents wouldn’t hear. Because he’d never had trouble staying perfectly silent before, but this fantasy was just too searing in his mind. _I hope you’re watching, I hope you’re doing something_ **_more_ ** _than that._ Light grinned as he imagined Ryuzaki alone in some police room, jeans around his ankles and getting off too. _Or maybe he’s just laughing at me, at Kira caught in this web and flailing, unable to even control himself let alone the power to kill._

 

The thought made him angry, and he squeezed his cock hard as he stroked, the nails of his other hand digging deeper and then joining the other. He didn’t dare open his eyes, afraid he’d give himself away even more, but his lips formed the word _Ryuzaki_ as he finally thrust hard into both hands and shot all over his chest. Light writhed against his pillow, existing in that space between getting caught and staying hidden, wishing it was Ryuzaki’s body he was filling instead of nothing at all. He exhaled hard, panting as his hands finally stilled and fell to his sides.

 

 _Fuck, I’m in trouble._ Light couldn’t help but softly laugh to himself as he realized what he’d done, but god, the orgasm had been worth it. He took a few more deep breaths and brought his fingers to his lips, sucking each one clean and wiping up the rest of his come from his chest and stomach. He grinned smugly as he licked the last bit up, flopping over on his stomach and pulling the covers to his shoulders. _Good night L. Hope you enjoyed the show._

 

**\----Midtown, at Kira HQ----**

 

L stilled his motions for a moment, panting harshly and squeezing himself, staring at the image before him. The moans that were leaving the teen were _enthralling,_ all the more for the power they had over him. _I am so absolutely screwed if anyone finds out about this,_ he thought to himself, whimpering as he squeezed his eyes shut. This footage was _definitely_ getting downloaded to his laptop and sent to his secure hard drive… and then deleted from the team’s server. _If you only knew, Light._ He opened his eyes just in time to see the grin on Light’s face, and he let out a shaky laugh, watching and stroking himself in earnest now, sucking on two fingers before letting them trail to circle his entrance, stroking the delicate skin to bring him close _quicker_. He was determined to come at the same time as Light, even if only _he_ knew it had happened.

 

“You are such a fucking _masterpiece_ ,” he whispered, voice a harsh moan and body jerking when he saw his own fake name form on Light’s lips, and he bit his lip to stifle the agonizingly loud moan that was threatening to escape as he came, shooting through his fingers and staining his shirt. He clutched himself quickly, letting the rest coat his palm in an attempt to minimize the…evidence, and his blurring vision flickered from the direction of the door to the screens, to his own lap and then back to the screen. Where Light was licking every drop of come from his fingers. He had nothing more to spend, but his cock still twitched weakly at that image.

  
“ _Fuck.”_ _He was thinking of ME when he came._ Warmth suffused him, quickly followed by a wave of shame, and, kicking off his jeans and slinging them over one arm, L shuffled off to the bathroom, quickly cleaning himself up before discarding his stained shirt in the hamper and pulling a new one on in the bedroom. He tugged his jeans back on as well, thinking the entire time, _I am enormously fucked. What am I doing? What am I going to DO?_ There was no way he could use this footage for anything, was there? Except maybe for his personal spank bank, and that had absolutely _not_ been the goal. _Will I even be able to use any footage from tomorrow, or is he going to fuck THAT up, too?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Light thinking 'oh glory, come and find me,' is a reference to the [Paramore song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45Xzgma4LMk) they listened to together at the hotel.
> 
>  
> 
> L: So... if anyone wants to get a little more, uh... _thirsty_ , check out the song of the same name by [Taemin](https://youtu.be/D25FPfkZ0GI). He's my favourite k-pop artist. ~~Also, I love that soap Sayu is watching, do not tell _anyone_~~ *cough*


	13. Trick Questions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Three days after the surveillance is installed, L and Light are both quietly going crazy. L texts Light in a desperate bid to see him. Things... don't go as planned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some of this chapter includes text message conversations between Light and L. Phone chats are in full bold and chats in L’s spying program have bold tags and normal text

**——Three days later——**

 

Light was on edge, he was on fucking _edge,_ because after three days the cameras were still there and Ryuk’s patience was getting frayed with his requests to check anytime they went somewhere. He’d drifted from school to cram sessions to normal family life, but it was so difficult to maintain the perfect facade. He was having to sneak in his writing in the death note while he was out somewhere in public, and his frustration with that made him push forward on showing L that he could control the time of death. Light wanted the heat off, and needed to disprove their little pet theory (neatly recorded in his father’s laptop) about Kira being a student who needed to operate during non-school hours.

 

Soichiro’s laptop was still a trove of information on the case, which meant that Light’s exceptionally careful hacking hadn’t yet been detected, or L was feeding him misinformation. But he didn’t think it was the latter; the main reason being that his father _also_ recorded the team’s doubts about their boss. They seemed somewhat distrustful of his methods, although neither the reasons nor the methods were explained in detail. But even reading between the lines, Light sensed there was tension there. It made sense, if his father knew his son was being treated as a suspect.

 

But really? Light was pissed as all hell that he couldn’t get into his porn stash and have some damn privacy. He wasn’t used to having to hide his pleasure or hold back, and while the constant surveillance was thrilling in a theoretical way, it was also highly inconvenient for his libido. He’d broken down and indulged again on Tuesday when his father finally came back and went to bed late that night, but it wasn’t enough. Those cameras couldn’t be gone fast enough. Hiding being Kira had been easy, hiding the rest had been pure hell.

 

\-----

 

 _For fuck’s SAKE._ L was going crazy, and one way or another, this torture needed to _end._ He hadn't made any headway in the case (not that he honestly knew what he was meant to be _doing_ anymore, considering how conflicted he was over everything), and Light had ruined _last_ night’s footage as well with his little _game_ after he’d sent Soichiro home. Not to mention the fact he hadn’t called (entirely understandable) or even _texted_ (unacceptable… or at least _hurtful_ ). L stared hard down at his phone, glancing over at Yagami (who was thankfully talking quietly on his own cell to someone across the room), for a brief moment before typing something out and just hitting send. It would have to do.

 

\----

 

Light was walking back from the train after school Wednesday when he felt his phone go off in his pocket but he ignored it, thinking it was just Misa yet again. _Another reason the cameras need to stop. If she decides to drop in like she does sometimes and starts blabbing?!_ It wasn’t until he’d gotten back to his bedroom that he finally checked his phone, his bored expression melting into one of surprise. _It’s Ryuzaki… I didn’t expect that._

 

“ **Hey, Light. Did you forget me? 😉 You didn’t call.** ”

 

Light’s fingers hovered over the buttons as his mind screamed _NO._ Of course, this had to be a trap, but… it also indicated that L was fishing, hadn’t gotten anything the past few days. That he needed to take a more direct approach to cornering Kira. Light wasn’t sure how that made him feel. _I’m glad, so glad to hear from him. But why is he reaching out now? I won’t be caught, L._

 

He finally texted back, “ **How could I forget about you? You’ve made that impossible. Just been a little tied up is all.”**

 

\-----

 

The long time between when L sent the text and when Light got home had him hunched over his knees in a funk, scowling and chewing angrily on a lollipop as he only idly paid attention to the screens. _This is totally. Fucking. USELESS._ Even seeing Light finally pull out his phone once he’d gotten to his bedroom, and give it a surprised look, didn’t help. His own phone vibrated to let him know he’d received a text, and L glanced down but then pointedly ignored it... for all of an embarrassing _five seconds_ before his curiosity got the better of him.

 

Almost instantly, his scowl melted away, and he glanced at the screen, trying to gauge the sincerity by Light’s expression. It was… difficult to read. Sighing, he cast another glance over to the Chief and texted back hurriedly, “ **Oh, thank goodness. I was starting to think you ghosted me.** ” He pushed send before he could second guess himself and delete it, then sighed. _Should I…_ Yes. He typed out another message. “ **I missed you. 🙁** ”

 

“I am such an obvious sap,” he whispered to himself, staring intently at the screen now to see Light’s reaction. _Let me see something real. Not one of your games. Please._

 

\----

 

Light felt a twinge of guilt that he hadn’t reached out to Ryuzaki, but at the same time it wasn’t that he hadn’t wanted to, he just….didn’t know what to say, what was real or whether it was safe. Nothing felt safe--this phone certainly wasn’t. Some anxiety probably showed in his face as he battled with what to say, replying back, “ **No, I wasn’t going to ghost you.** ” It wasn’t a lie, he didn’t want to. But he might be forced to. _What am I even thinking...Ryuzaki’s not real. If he’s L, he wants to kill you, stupid!_ He rubbed his face, physically hiding the frown that was there, the uncertainty and fear he felt. Looking down again, he typed, “ **I missed you too.** ”

 

It was easy to play the game when it was clear what the game was, but this wasn’t clear to Light at all. He’d felt something, something real for the person he’d met on Tinder. It was unexpected and raw and weird and fast, but it _had_ felt real. The result had caused him to make mistakes, had made him be incautious over the past few days. Thinking and wondering about the very person who claimed in front of all the world that Kira would be dead at their hands. _Fuck. If he isn’t L, I’ll be disappointed, and if he IS L, I’m dead. How do I play this game?_ He sighed, thinking that he was probably being watched and all the new ways he was betraying himself now would be dissected. He typed, “ **I want to see you again but I don’t know when I can.** ”

 

\------

 

L pulled his laptop onto his lap, and began pulling up the encrypted chat server Watari and Matt had put together for him the year before. Depending on what Light actually said… maybe he could talk to him a little more directly. And not in such an obvious way as texting. It would also give him the chance to do other things, like continue tracing the hack on Soichiro’s laptop. It had been irritatingly difficult to trace _exactly_ where it was coming from, even though he had discovered that the computer _had_ been hacked, and knew who the likely culprit was. And he was no slouch at computer hacking, himself, even if it wasn’t his _specialty._

 

Watching Light’s expression change throughout this brief conversation clinched it for L. He was telling the truth, even if he wasn’t telling the _whole_ truth. Sighing, L sent a quick text and pulled up the invite box on his chat channel.

 

“ **Are you able to chat? In something… a little more real time? And secure? That sounds ominous.** ” _That_ was an understatement. Snorting, he typed up one more message on his phone before switching to his laptop and typing Light’s phone number into the invite box while he waited for a response.

 

“ **If you’re near your computer, I can send the invite there, or it will work on your phone’s messenger as well. Whichever you prefer. I would REALLY like to see you again as well, but it sounds like there’s a bit of a discussion to be had first.** ”

 

L glanced up again to find that the Chief had left the room, and he let out a soft sigh of relief. At least he didn’t have to worry about the man coming over to snoop on who he was talking to.

 

\----

 

 _A bit of a discussion._ Light got up from his bed and moved to his desk, booting up his computer. This OS was running on a separate ‘safe’ hard drive that wasn’t slaved to the one he used for his hacking activities, so it would be safe for installing any new software or connecting to the internet. _Whatever program I download from him is sure to be filled with some malware._ As the computer started up, he texted back, “ **I’m in front of my computer, feel free to send me the chat link. Email is y_raito@hachiojiacademy.net** ”  Light hoped that Ryuzaki hadn’t meant that he could _find_ his computer without an email or IP address, but then if this was L, he probably could.

 

He had nervous butterflies as he wondered how this was going to go, who would be on the other end. Light had felt so free when he was with Ryuzaki at the hotel, but now it was all he could do to keep his fear under wraps. _This could be what puts me in handcuffs or exonerates me, so don’t slip up, Light. Don’t let your emotions get in the way of your survival instincts._

 

\----

 

L was already typing the email address into the invite box, and even as he sent it, he was typing away madly, fingers flying over the keys and sending it as soon as he saw Light pop up in the chat.

 

 **I_Ryuzaki:** Long time no see, beautiful. What happened?

 

Light clicked the download link right away, running a trace program in the background to keep a catalog of every file L deposited, moved, and modified that he could check later on his phone. The minimalist chat window popped, and Ryuzaki’s first message made him genuinely smile.

 

 **Raito_Y:** It hasn’t been that long, just three days. But...yeah it’s felt like much longer. I’m sorry I didn’t get in touch. My time hasn’t really been my own. I wasn’t free to reach out, but I really wanted to.

 

 **I_Ryuzaki:** Felt like forever to me. I’m sorry, I wanted to let YOU make this move. Everything better now? Or no? And are we still on for the concert on Saturday??

 

 **Raito_Y:** Well, no, things are still a little confused for me. But I would love to go to the concert! I’ll have to scramble for tickets but shouldn’t be an issue. Did you like them?

 

 **I_Ryuzaki:** Oh, well. Hmm. Are you sure I shouldn’t just pick them up?

 **I_Ryuzaki:** Okay, real talk, I listened to a few of the songs on Sunday and LOVED them, and then I found I’ve actually already HEARD a couple songs and never knew who the artist was. They remind me of a mashup between My Chemical Romance and Linkin Park!

 **I_Ryuzaki:** I… may have downloaded their entire discography and binged over the last three days… XD

 

Light was grinning now as he read Ryuzaki’s response.

 **Raito_Y:** Awesome, I hoped you’d like them. They’re pretty big in Japan but not as much outside of here. I’ve seen them once before and it’s a little wild, they wear these wolf masks. 

**Raito_Y:** But no, let me handle the tickets. It’s the least I can do since I owe you...well, more than I probably want to know. :)

 

Being able to see the genuine happiness on Light’s face at just _talking_ to him made L smile happily, pushing away the twinge of guilt he felt over the advantage he had for this conversation.

 **I_Ryuzaki:** Yeah, I watched a few of the videos and noticed that. Interesting schtick. Dead End In Tokyo is an awesome vid. And I have legitimately had Hey Now stuck in my head for THREE DAYS, so thaaanks. (I think it’s my favourite so far.)

 

 **Raito_Y:** Oh damn, ‘Dead End in Toyko’ might be my fav of theirs but, eh I don’t wanna pick. Have you heard their cover of ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’?

 

 **I_Ryuzaki:** I heard their cover of Lithium, threw me for a loop at first because I’m so used to the Nirvana version. But they’ve got a LOT of songs.

 **I_Ryuzaki:** So, how’s prep going? Boring as all hell?

 

To be honest, Light hadn’t done any test prep to speak of.

 **Raito_Y:** It’s been a grind, I’ve had a few cram sessions this week although my tutor is a colossal idiot and I feel stupider for attending.

 

 **I_Ryuzaki:** You told me you didn’t need to study for the exams, lol. No wonder you feel stupider.

 

 **Raito_Y:** What *I* know I need to do and what *my parents* are convinced I need to do are two different things sometimes. To-Oh is a very expensive private school and I need to get a scholarship to go. I don’t feel worried, but they can’t help it I guess.

 

 **I_Ryuzaki:** I’d be going out of my fuckin mind (please see what I did there, lol)

 

 **Raito_Y:** Um...I’m not sure if you’re proclaiming your insanity or flirting with me? Both? Probably not mutually exclusive.

 

 **I_Ryuzaki:** I was quoting Linkin Park, actually (Bleed It Out!)

 **I_Ryuzaki:** But let’s go with flirting. Apparently I need some work at it.

 

 **Raito_Y:** I probably won’t recognize a lot of your quotes, but keep pointing them out and I’ll remember for the next awkward flirting. :P

 

 **I_Ryuzaki:** Lol, so you’re doing cram school because that’s what’s expected of you?

 

 **Raito_Y:** It makes my parents happy to see me do well but they don’t always believe me that I know something until a piece of paper proves it. Not much different than anyone else. The tutor gives them updates, but really they pay for peace of mind. I can humor them.

 

 **I_Ryuzaki:** Do you have a session tonight, or is there a possibility I can see you tonight? (I really have missed you.)

 

 **Raito_Y:** Tonight? I don’t have a session but I don’t think I can leave.

 

L narrowed his eyes in confusion at that, glancing around to make sure Soichiro hadn’t returned, fingers flying rapidly over the keys.

 **I_Ryuzaki:** Oh? Why not?

 **I_Ryuzaki:** Also, that’s *SUPER* fun. I wonder how many people would be absolutely shocked to know that I never officially ‘graduated’ high school (as in, I don’t have the official diploma, but come on, I did all of the damn work), yet could probably score higher than anyone else on all the tests to get into university? Hmmph.

 **I_Ryuzaki:** It’s like unless everything is all official, you don’t know what you’re talking about.

 

 **Raito_Y:** I guess society is just set up that way, at least here it is.

However, Light is surprised to hear that Ryuzaki never finished high school.

 **Raito_Y:** Lucky you for being so successful without those pieces of paper. I surely don’t doubt that you’d trounce us all though if you felt like taking the To-Oh exam

_Actually, I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t trounce me._

 

 _Really?_ L smirked.

 

 **I_Ryuzaki:** Me, take the exams? If this is your way of finding an excuse for us to be able to see each other without it seeming odd…

 **I_Ryuzaki:** Well, aside from the fact I’d have to go to CLASSES

 

Light paused a moment, thinking briefly that perhaps Ryuzaki wasn’t L. Why would L seem like he would even go to a college to see him?

 **Raito_Y:** You could always just take the exam and drop mic on the classes. I mean you won’t learn anything much, if you’re already doing just fine on your own.

 

 **I_Ryuzaki:** Sounds like a fun idea. I’ve never been to college.

 **I_Ryuzaki:** But seriously, I’m going stir crazy not being able to see you, Light. I want to see you. :(

 

 **Raito_Y:** The problem with seeing you is...people are watching me and I can’t really move anywhere privately. It’s a long story but *hopefully* it will resolve soon.

_If you’re L...and you want to see me? Drop the damn cameras._

 

 _He knows. Not a very subtle hint._ Sighing, L sent another flurry of messages.

 **I_Ryuzaki:** Right. And who is watching you?

 **I_Ryuzaki:** Did you run afoul of the Yakuza?

 **I_Ryuzaki:** Crazy ex-girlfriend?

 **I_Ryuzaki:** Crazy ex-*boy*friend, I mean. Lol. (Though a crazy ex probably COULD be pretty scary, so that’s not really something to joke about)

 

 **Raito_Y:** Actually it’s the police. So really it’s in your best interests not to be seen with me. At least until this blows over. Bet you didn’t peg me for a bad boy huh?

 _I’m not ready to tell him that yes, I have a ‘girlfriend’, and yes, she’s crazy._ There wasn’t any easy explanation for Misa. _Not without understanding Rem and her threats against me._

 

 **I_Ryuzaki:** A bad boy, huh?

 **I_Ryuzaki:** I mean, you tied me up…

 **I_Ryuzaki:** And gagged me…

 **I_Ryuzaki:** And choked me…

 **I_Ryuzaki:** That does not a ‘good boy’ make. ;)

 

 **Raito_Y:** You got me there. Although you asked me to do all that. So you share in the deviant responsibility.

 

_Yes I did. And I’d do it again._

**I_Ryuzaki:** I never once said I was complaining.

 **I_Ryuzaki:** It’s all I’ve been able to think about the last three days.

 **I_Ryuzaki:** I want more

 

 **Raito_Y:** Hmm, so do I. And being under this police detail has really been a royal pain in the ass. I’m starting to get very...on edge, maybe you can help me out with that?

 

 **I_Ryuzaki:** But you said you can’t leave. How do you expect me to help you?

 

 _Do I need to spell it out for him?_ Light paused only a moment before typing in a flurry.

 **Raito_Y:** By not playing coy anymore and turning off the cameras.

 

L was actually… _stunned_ that Light had come right out and said it, and it took him a moment to unfreeze enough to respond.

 **I_Ryuzaki:** Damn. You go right for the gut, huh?

 

 **Raito_Y:** You knew I would have put it together by now. My parents need a piece of paper but you don’t.

 

Wincing, L cursed under his breath. He’d walked himself into a corner, there.

 **I_Ryuzaki:** You’re right, I don’t.

 **I_Ryuzaki:** You do realize I can’t do that without a good reason.

 

 **Raito_Y:** Well don’t let lack of evidence stop you. I can pretend like I don’t know, if that suits you better.

The hurt and disappointment Light was feeling wouldn’t translate to text, but the stony look on his face would, if L was really watching.

 

L chewed that over for a good minute, guiltily looking away from the screens before finally growling in frustration. _This isn’t what I wanted. How do I fix this?_

 **I_Ryuzaki:** We both know you’ve been aware of the cameras since Saturday afternoon. Pretending ignorance is stupid at this point, and I don’t think you want that, either.

 **I_Ryuzaki:** Your little taunt backfired somewhat on you, I think.

Oh yes, because calling anything Light had done over the last three days a _taunt_ was really going to fix anything. _Way to go, you idiot._

 

 **Raito_Y:** And which taunt in particular are you referring to?

 

 **I_Ryuzaki:** I saw my name on your lips. Did you think I wouldn’t recognize it?

The response was sent before L could stop himself, and he couldn’t help but be frustrated with himself. _Stop it, he might actually stop talking to you!_

 

 _Taunt? Is that what L thought it was?_ Light, in his admittedly poor judgment then, had thought he was flirting.

 **Raito_Y:** Then I suppose I was taunting you before I even knew who you were. I told you in the hotel that was exactly what I was going to do.

_Why pretend like I didn’t do it on purpose? I want him to know how little worry I have about being caught._

**Raito_Y:** Plus, I wanted you to see. If it had backfired, you wouldn’t be talking to me right now. Feels more like a win.

 

Blinking, L glanced back to the screens to see how Light was reacting to that. It was… he seemed to be… reacting more like his cocky self from when they’d first started talking in the cafe. _Is that how he reacts to feeling hurt?_ He responded a little more cautiously this time, trying to ignore the way this conversation seemed to be heading somewhere designed to turn him on (and divert him from the truth).

 **I_Ryuzaki:** Does it?

 **I_Ryuzaki:** Or are you just saying that because it’s what you want to believe?

 **I_Ryuzaki:** Personally, I don’t think either of us is winning this game.

 

 **Raito_Y:** Oh, I don’t know. I’d be in jail already if you had any evidence worth a damn. As far as anyone’s concerned, I’m a wayward teen who met my father’s boss on Tinder and had quite the wild night. Scandalous, sure, but that’s it.

 

 **I_Ryuzaki:** Do you have any evidence of that? :)

_Yeah, he’s definitely trying to distract me with sex. And it’s fucking working._

 

 **Raito_Y:** Now what would I need evidence for, Ryuzaki? I mean, I do have your number, the screenshots of your profile, and various scratches all over my body. But that’s beside the point.

 **Raito_Y:** *You* don’t seem to need evidence, do you?

Light was definitely enjoying being slightly smug and playing with the danger, despite knowing that it was mainly his fear and hurt at the situation that was compelling him to do so.

 

That pulled a guilty laugh from L, because what Light was saying was true. The surveillance had gone up on his word based on nothing but his gut instinct. _I only need evidence to put someone away, Light. But I have no intention of putting you away._

 **I_Ryuzaki:** And everything but PERHAPS the phone number can be explained away. There were no clear photos on that profile. I don’t think you even meant to match with me. :)

 **I_Ryuzaki:** Not that I’m complaining. Just like you weren’t complaining when you told me to scratch the fuck out of you.

 **I_Ryuzaki:** While you were fucking my mouth. Mhm.

 

Light blushed hard at the memory Ryuzaki was referring to, but the mention of the accidental match made Light giggle because that was certainly true.

 **Raito_Y:** No complaints, Ryuzaki. About any of it. And I swiped you right because my coffee was too hot in the shop :P

 **Raito_Y:** But hey, I left the match after I saw your ‘intriguing interests.’

 

L stared at his laptop screen with his mouth hanging open for a moment at that confirmation, and an amused grin split his face as he punched the air triumphantly, whispering, “Called it!”

 **I_Ryuzaki:** I knew it! How serendipitous!

 **I_Ryuzaki:** … Ahem. :D

 

 **Raito_Y:** It might have been random chance or...maybe…

Light paused a beat, because it was hard for him to reveal the real source of his hurt and smug defensiveness. _I want to give him a chance to tell me it isn’t true._

 **Raito_Y:** maybe I was set up?

 

L’s grin instantly faded at that and he stared at the screen with his hands clenched, trembling, over his laptop.

 **I_Ryuzaki:** What?!

His gaze flicked back to the surveillance feed to see Light’s expression, and he couldn’t _breathe_ , couldn’t even _think_ straight, fingers moving on instinct.

 **I_Ryuzaki:** Is that what you really think?

 

 **Raito_Y:** Which illegally-placed camera would you like me to look into while I tell you how much I trust you?

 

 **I_Ryuzaki:** …

 **I_Ryuzaki:** You’re one to talk, considering you’ve been hacking into your father’s computer.

 _I will not fucking cry._ L had to take a moment to just _breathe_ , trying to calm down, and he forced himself to pull his hands away from the keyboard before he said something else he would regret.

 

Light sighed, Ryuzaki’s obvious lashing-out must mean he hurt him. But still, Ryuzaki was not denying it was a set up. Why?

 **Raito_Y:** Even if that _were_ true, I don’t see what it has to do with me trusting you or vice versa.

 **Raito_Y:** It’s a legitimate concern isn’t it? If L is willing to bug my bedroom, should I think that rigging a Tinder match couldn’t happen?

 

L shook his head at that, hyperventilating a little. He supposed it _was_ possible for someone to hack into the Tinder server to do just that, and he was _definitely_ skilled enough to do it without leaving a trace, but… the thought had never crossed his mind. Because he hadn’t gone on Tinder _looking for Kira_ , despite any of the suspicions he had _had_ about Light. Time to set the record straight, even if Light never wanted to speak to him again after this. _Why is THAT what hurts so much?_

 **I_Ryuzaki:** Ouch.

 **I_Ryuzaki:** Is that really how little you think of me?

 **I_Ryuzaki:** Would you like to know how long you were an official suspect?

 

_What am I supposed to think of you?_

**Raito_Y:** You don’t need to tell me.

_Why am I feeling bad for hurting his feelings after what he’s doing, already done, to me?_

**Raito_Y:** I’m just scared Ryuzaki.

Light wished he could take that last text back but L’s chat program didn’t permit that, unsurprisingly.

 

 **I_Ryuzaki:** Saturday afternoon. 12:17 pm.

 

 **Raito_Y** : You would have felt the same way. If you were in my place. You would have wondered.

_I’m not being irrational. I’m trying to protect myself, and you are childish and dangerous._

 

 **I_Ryuzaki:** True.

 **I_Ryuzaki:** But I might have actually said something instead of going out and buying shitty porn.

“Stop lashing out, _idiot_ ,” L hissed to himself, because that wasn’t true at _all_ , and he knew it. He would have done exactly what Light had done, or he would have run away and ceased all communication… like he, _himself_ , had done in the past when things got difficult.

 

 _No, you wouldn’t have said anything at all._ Light was getting genuinely angry now, feeling like he wanted this conversation to end before it got even worse.

 **Raito_Y:** I didn’t come on here to upset you.

 

 _I’m sorry._ L took a deep breath around the lump in his throat and closed his eyes as he thought about what he actually _wanted_ to get out of this. _Fix it. I might have already fucked it up, but he hasn’t left yet, so fucking FIX IT._

 **I_Ryuzaki:**  I didn’t either. I came on here to… figure out if we could salvage something.

 

 **Raito_Y:** Salvage? You make it sound like we’re already wrecked? I thought we were just getting started.

 _Irony won’t come through, idiot._ Light was frowning, because it nearly did feel wrecked, and only suspicions and hurt were left where excitement had been.

 

 _Thought we were just getting STARTED?_ L looked to the surveillance feed, but all he saw was frowning suspicion on Light’s face, and he barked out a sharp laugh at that. _Then why did you accuse me of rigging the match?_

 **I_Ryuzaki:** Light... you didn’t talk to me for three days. All you did was play perfect and then give me an eyeful. Not even a ‘hey, thinking of you, can’t talk, tho’. Really? Lol

 

Light huffed loudly, shooting a glare at one of the cameras. _Why is he so infuriating?!_

 **Raito_Y:** I couldn’t exactly talk to you, the primary investigator of the Kira case, while being surveilled as a suspect in that case.

 **Raito_Y:** You aren’t really being fair. I *did* want to call, but you knew better than anyone why I couldn’t.

 

 **I_Ryuzaki:** I know you couldn’t call…

 **I_Ryuzaki:** A quick text away from the house was not going to make or break your cover. Even if you sent me something super cryptic. I mean, that first night aside…

 **I_Ryuzaki:** Ahem. I thought you changed your mind until last night, and still not even a freaking text? Why the hell do you think I contacted YOU?

 _That is really expecting a lot of him, what the hell am I DOING?_ Folding his arms across his chest, L slumped into the chair, glaring at the screen and desperately wishing he could take back his childish words. _Kind of hard to fix it when he keeps goading me._

 

_Three days? Three days and he’s this upset? Or just upset that I didn’t give him what he wanted in his case?_

**Raito_Y:** Apparently to yell at me for doing the exact same thing you would have done, but with less shitty porn.

 

 **I_Ryuzaki:** You’re driving me up the wall. I’m looking for an excuse to get rid of the cameras.

 

Light’s blood was boiling--he was driving _L_ up the wall?! How clueless was he?

 **Raito_Y:** How about ‘I’m L and I say so?’

_You’re the one who did it, I know it was you. So, undo it._

 

 _Really, Light?_ Not that that _didn’t_ work in some cases, but this case… L would definitely be able to get rid of the cameras early, but he still needed to explain his reasoning to _Watari_ , if not the team. That had _always_ been the case.

 **I_Ryuzaki:** LOL. You’ve read your father’s notes on the case, yes?

 

 **Raito_Y:** Of course not.

_Of course I did._

**Raito_Y:** But if you get half as bitchy with your team are you are with me, I can only imagine what’s happening there.

 

Well, _that_ was a call out if L had ever seen one.

 **I_Ryuzaki:** …

 **I_Ryuzaki:** Fair.

 **I_Ryuzaki:** It still doesn’t work like that, but fair.

 

 **Raito_Y:** I only know how legal taps come and go, so you’ll have to fill me in *your* variety :P

 

 **I_Ryuzaki:** What?

 

 **Raito_Y:** You clearly didn’t bother with any due process or pesky things like privacy concerns or basic human rights, so it seemed easy come easy go to me.

 

 _Your own father gave me permission, but whatever._ Not that he wouldn’t have just done it, _anyway_.

 **I_Ryuzaki:** I still need a reason to end the surveillance.

_Like all I’m getting is porn that, while welcomed, I have to keep deleting because I don’t think you want anyone else seeing that._

**I_Ryuzaki:** Also, ha ha ha, very cute.

 **I_Ryuzaki:** Are you only bratty to me??

L stopped and stared hard at his last message, and his anger drained away to be replaced with shame. _HE isn’t the one being a brat._ Swallowing hard, he read back through the last little bit of conversation, trying to figure out why the hell Light was even still talking to him. _I need to stop being a dick. I don’t deserve his patience after this, or the last three days._

 

 _Bratty_? Light was so confused and frustrated, there was little he could do but laugh at this point. _What the hell, this is getting as bad as dealing with Misa!_

 **Raito_Y:** Listen, you’re the one who’s acting like an aeon or two passed when it was just THREE DAYS.

 **Raito_Y:** I sincerely apologize for not being quicker, I’m trying to tell you I wanted to but I didn’t feel safe to do it.

 **Raito_Y:** But I’m plenty bratty to lots of people who irk me, since you asked.

 

 **I_Ryuzaki:** I… you…

 **I_Ryuzaki:** Okay, now I’m confused. You said it felt longer, too. Am I going crazy here?

 _I don’t understand._ L looked between the screens again, and sighed, scratching at his hair before forcing himself to calm down and say what he really _meant_ this time. _And stop acting like a child._

 **I_Ryuzaki:** I just… wanted to see you again, Light. I know that’s weird, considering what I’ve done. I wouldn’t blame you if you told me to fuck off.

 

 **Raito_Y:** I want to see you too.

 **Raito_Y:** Tonight is fine if I can get away somehow.

Light stared at what he’d typed, feeling weak for still wanting to see Ryuzaki after all of this. It wasn’t even clear Ryuzaki was being sincere anymore. _He never did deny setting me up. And he admitted to the illegal cameras. Why am I continuing with this….because I know that we had a connection, at some point._

 

 **I_Ryuzaki:** I’m sorry. I don’t say the right things most of the time. This is the first time I’ve ever cared about ‘saying the right thing’ and I just…

 **I_Ryuzaki:** Keep screwing it up.

 _And saying things I don’t mean._ L swiped at his eyes for a moment, sniffling as he typed.

 **I_Ryuzaki:** The truth is, all of the footage is essentially useless. That’s the other reason I contacted you. Aside from wanting to see you again.

 **I_Ryuzaki:** I need to come at the case from another angle, because I’m not going to catch Kira through surveillance, as you so eloquently pointed out on Saturday night.

_Especially not when I just want to find Kira. Catching you was never MY goal._

 

Light got very, very cautious at L saying he had contacted him to have a new approach in the case. _Is that an admission that this whole conversation is a trap? You’re not going to catch Kira at all, L._

 **Raito_Y:** You don’t have to say the right thing all the time, trust me, that gets old. It was nice to say what just came naturally when we were at the hotel.

_But that seems far away now._

**Raito_Y:** The footage is useless because I’m not Kira. But if you want my help catching them, I’ve helped my father on cases before and would be happy to help you too.

 

_Tell him the truth._

**I_Ryuzaki:** … I DID want to ask you Friday night to join the task force.

 

 **Raito_Y:** You did? Why?

_Now that would be useful._

 

 **I_Ryuzaki:** Because you’re very intelligent. And you pick things up quickly.

 **I_Ryuzaki:** Because we think similarly enough that I wouldn’t have to explain my thoughts to you.

_And because I want to be near you. Because I LIKE you._

 

Light knew that Ryuzaki was probably buttering him up, but felt flattered anyway.

 **Raito_Y:**  Well, I’d be honored to help you. But…

 **Raito_Y:** ...are you sure…

 **Raito_Y:** ...it’s not just so I can fuck you some more?

_How much are you using me?_

 

Of course Light asked that. L laughed ruefully to himself, because of course that had been the exact reason he _hadn’t_ asked Light to join right away… but maybe he should tell him that. _I won’t fix this with anything but the truth. Why is this so difficult?_

 **I_Ryuzaki:** … I am not going to be able to answer that in a way you’ll like, Light, no matter what I say, I think.

 **I_Ryuzaki:** Because I DO want that… But it’s not the reason I want you on the task force.

 **I_Ryuzaki:** And the reason I DIDN’T ask you to join right away was because I wanted to keep what we had as something special, AWAY from my work, for a little bit longer before I tried to gauge your interest in the case. And we can both see that THAT didn’t happen. Heh… The two desires are not mutually exclusive, is what I’m trying to say.

 

 **Raito_Y:** It wasn’t a trick question ;)

 **Raito_Y:** I was hoping you’d just say yes, since while I’m eager to help with the case, I’m not sure how much help I’ll really be at anything other than getting us both off.

Light grinned, thinking, _‘and getting myself off the hook, too.’_

 

L finally started to smile again, letting himself hope that maybe things weren’t as hopeless as he’d thought.

 **I_Ryuzaki:** Then yes.

 **I_Ryuzaki:** So... you’re really still interested in seeing me? Because I’m going to need a reason to ‘officially’ meet you if you want on the team. And you sell yourself short, I really DO think you could be a great asset.

 

 **Raito_Y:** Do you really think I mouthed your fake name just to taunt you? Lol yes silly, I want to see you. I think I said it a few times but I’ll say it again. I can’t wait to see you.

 

 **I_Ryuzaki:** I had hoped you *didn’t*.

 

 **Raito_Y:** We could ‘officially’ meet at the entrance exam, if you can wait until Friday afternoon and actually want to bother with the test.

 

L paused and stared hard at program running in the background as it identified a trace program running on Light’s computer, and he sighed. _Shit. I better tell him about that. This isn’t going to do me any favors._

 **I_Ryuzaki:** Or I could tell them I was impressed with your hacking talents and met with you personally to invite you to the team.

 **I_Ryuzaki:** If you want in sooner, that is.

 **I_Ryuzaki:** Your call.

Frowning, L looked again, realizing that there seemed to be multiple entry points showing on Soichiro’s laptop. Had there been multiple hacks? He was going to need to check that out.

 **I_Ryuzaki:** But it might be better to just wait until Friday, because that last idea needs a little more work.

 

Light suddenly got a notice that his tracing program protecting his computer in from Ryuzaki’s chat software was being mirrored and he tensed up, gritting his teeth. _Really?! You want me to trust you, berate me for being suspicious, and then do this?_ He sighed sadly, a sinking feeling in his gut.

 **Raito_Y:** My hacking talents…I won’t be able to relax with you if I feel I’m just a suspect in your case.

 **Raito_Y:** But...if you want me to admit that I hacked my father’s computer then, yes. I admit it.

 

 **I_Ryuzaki:** Thank you.

 **I_Ryuzaki:** Then I will admit that I am VERY interested to find out how you were able to hide so well from my trace. I’ve been trying to catch the leak for three days, and only just NOW found the evidence that your computer is the entry point. At least… it’s ONE of the entry points.

 

Light watched as L’s program tried to worm itself through his computer partition, knowing it wouldn’t be successful.

 **Raito_Y:** I see. So I chat with you in good faith and you use that to infiltrate my computer. And you were offended that I didn’t trust you?

 

And there it was. L sighed, knowing that Light was right to be upset. _I shouldn’t have used this program._

 **I_Ryuzaki:** At least I told you this time, didn’t I?

 **I_Ryuzaki:** Besides, I’ve been tracking the hack from the other end. My personal feelings aside, the case needs to take priority… and as it turns out, you aren’t the only leak, so please try not to take my bluntness personal. I will be pursuing other leads once I work out where the other leaks are coming from.

_Though if your program is good enough to block mine, I have a pretty good feeling that those ‘other leaks’ are something you could easily set up. Impressive._

 

Light immediately firewalled all his hard drive partitions, ending all programs except OS scripts and the chat. He was seriously furious.

 **Raito_Y:** I can’t blame you for doing your job. And you can’t blame me for protecting myself. *My* personal feelings aside, that takes priority. If you don’t get out of my computer, we can’t chat, Ryuzaki.

_Why am I even still talking to him? He’s breaking faith again and again. Fuck, he IS trying to trap me._

 

Wincing, L sat up straighter, knowing what was coming.

 **I_Ryuzaki:** Uh…

 **I_Ryuzaki:** I truly apologize, this is a specialized, encrypted program that was made for me, I’m unable to turn off that function. It’s written right into the code. If you have another way to chat privately, we can talk that way instead.

 

Light’s finger had been hovering over the ‘log off’ key and he clicked it angrily now, moving to chat in his phone. _At least my phone is divorced from my computer._

**“You have my email. That’s neutral enough. When you want to talk without tricks, let me know.”**

He was so angry his fingers were shaking over the phone buttons. Keeping his words civil was taking enormous effort, but Light could always do that, couldn’t he... _I didn’t have to do that, to pretend when we were together before._

 

L huffed out an annoyed breath, but as he couldn’t really blame Light for his comments, and _especially_ his reactions, he forced himself to take calming breaths as he set aside his laptop and picked up his phone. Still, he couldn’t keep a _little_ bit of sarcasm from coloring his word choice.

**“I thought you were worried about people knowing about us. But whatever works for you, then.”**

 

 _Why is he throwing my words back in my face?_ Light nearly threw the phone against the wall, seething for a full minute before responding. **“What would work for me would be going back in time about three days.”**

 

L just sighed as he smiled slightly. How nice would _that_ be? **“You and me both.”** _Cut the sarcasm, you’re supposed to be trying NOT to be a dick_ , he reminded himself. **“Unless you’re worried about something regarding your phone, I’m fine with just text… Not like I’ve done anything to your phone, anyway. Promise.”**

 

 _You and me both?_ Light closed his eyes and just breathed, trying to stay calm but he felt on the verge of tears now, and would _not_ let L see how upset this conversation had made him.  He’d had enough, he’d finally been pushed too far and couldn’t keep face; he needed to get out of here and try to think before L lured him in further. **“Seeing as how we can’t go back, I think I’ll just say goodnight, Ryuzaki.”** _And goodbye._ He exited the chat program, jamming his phone into his pocket and shooting a glare at one of the cameras before grabbing his coat and heading out the door. He needed to take a walk to clear his head and calm down, and couldn’t do that being under L’s microscope.

Ryuk followed behind him doggedly as he exited his house and slowly walked down the street towards nowhere in particular. The shinigami had better sense than to bother Light while he was in this kind of mood, but it was still interesting to observe since he’d not seen the human like _this_ since Ryuk had come to Earth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We know things look pretty bleak for these two, but if you keep reading, this is not the end. Stick with us! The next chapter will go up tomorrow. <3
> 
> L’s username 'I_Ryuzaki' is a reference to the alias he chose on coming to Japan: Ishida Ryuzaki, Ishida being his deceased mother’s maiden name.
> 
> The Nirvana cover by 'Man With a Mission' that Light recommends is [here](https://youtu.be/A3GDqIdLTKc).


	14. I Know I’m A Lyre

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Light finally has had enough and ends the conversation, it feels like the end. Can L put aside his pride and fix things between them? And does Light even still want to try?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Similar to last chapter, phone chats are in full bold and chats in the app Wire have the bold tags and normal text.

_No, no no no!_ L sat bolt upright, watching in shock as Light left his bedroom, and he frantically typed out another text, sending it just as Light went out the front door. **“Light, wait, I’m sorry! I told you I wasn’t good at this, please just give me a chance to explain?”** _Please don’t do this,_ he thought, shaking as he stared down at his phone, _praying_ for a response, even as he _knew_ the whole thing was his own god damn fault. When the five minute mark hit and his message hadn’t even been marked as _read_ , he knew. “ _Fuck,_ ” he whispered, sniffling hard and vision blurring. _What have I DONE?_ “FUCK.”

 

“Ryuzaki?” a concerned voice sounded from outside, and as he heard the door start to open, L immediately bolted up in a panic, slamming his laptop shut and running into the bedroom. “Ryuzaki, what-” L slammed the door behind him and locked it, sliding down the door to sit on the floor, trying to muffle his misery by burying his face in his knees. How _humiliating_ was this? A knock sounded on the bedroom door and Soichiro’s voice asked cautiously through the wood, “Is everything okay, Ryuzaki?”

 

“Please leave me alone, Yagami-san,” L called, unable to mask the tears in his voice despite being muffled, and probably just as obviously angry about that. He could still feel the man’s presence outside the door after a moment, and he lifted his head and said with a sullen sniffle, “Leave me _alone._ This has nothing to do with the case.” _Well. That’s not entirely true._

 

There was silence again for a long moment, and when L could _still_ sense him hovering outside the door, he was prepared to _yell_ at him to go away when the man finally said in a quiet voice, “Whatever is wrong, I’m sorry you’re hurting. I will return to the surveillance for now until you… come back.”

 

 _Why is he being nice to me? After what I’ve done to Light? To his FAMILY?_ L stared at the door in the dark, confused and heartsick, and it wasn’t until the volume on the surveillance feed increased that he realized what the man was doing. _Letting me save face… or fall apart in peace?_ Taking a deep, shuddering breath, L picked himself up off the floor and gripped his phone, climbing into the bed and pulling the covers over his head so he could _maybe_ get the tears out of his system. _Once I calm down, I’ll text him one more time. And… try my hardest not to be an ass. If he doesn’t respond… well, then I guess I deserve that._ So why did the thought _hurt_ so bad?

 

\-----

 

It was still early in the evening, but most people were inside their homes in this sleepy residential area and Light was thankful for that. He could feel the tears pricking the backs of his eyes, his jaw set as he walked aimlessly.  Never in a million years would he have thought he could be this compromised by his feelings, having made so many mistakes and slips that had probably exposed him as Kira to L. A thought was cycling through his mind like a mantra, _he set you up and the time you spent together meant nothing._ He desperately wanted to squash it, but he couldn’t align the person he had met at the Park Hyatt-- _running in the rain with cake pops, tearing each other’s clothes off, watching the sunrise, kissing in the elevator and alleys--_ with everything that had happened tonight. _He bugged your home, tapped your computer, contacted you under false pretenses, was sarcastic and cruel._ Was L really _that_ good? So cold and calculating to even use emotion to entrap his mark? _You’re giving new meaning to ‘killing me with kindness’ but you didn’t need to be kind to me anymore, did you?_ Not when L must think he _had_ him.

 

He murmured to himself as he stared at his shoes, one foot in front of the other, again and again. “I’m such a fool.”

 

Ryuk gave him a searching look, “Eh? If there’s one thing you ain’t it’s that, Light-o.” But the shinigami couldn’t hold back, “But yeah, probably you shoulda been thinkin’ with yer brain and not yer dick, hyuk.”

 

Light snorted in frustration, but Ryuk was right. He’d jeopardized _everything._ Quietly, “It’s not too late. He still doesn’t have anything concrete, he admitted that.” _Could have been a lie._ He blushed hard as he sat down on a park bench, thinking of how he’d acted on camera the nights he thought only L was watching. “Oh god…” What hubris had led him to believe that L, the man who had sworn in front of the world to capture and execute him, would… “Oh fuck…” His head fell into his hands as it started to sink in the depth of trouble he might be in. But much worse was the feeling of what could have been between them, now just another fading ghost. _I really felt something, for the first time in my life._ “This is so unfair!” He said it louder than he’d meant to, his voice carrying through the thankfully empty park.

 

Ryuk chuckled, floating up on his side as he gazed down with glowing yellow eyes. “Guess you’re back to wanting to kill him, huh?”

 

Light’s face crumpled because, no, he wasn’t. “Yeah, Ryuk, sure.”

 

\---

 

If he were being honest with himself, L was almost afraid to see how long he had been crying like a child in the dark, but he was sure he had no tears left at this point. _Quit being emo,_ he numbly berated himself, finally throwing the covers off and groaning as he took a deep breath of cool hotel room air. “I am pathetic,” he mumbled, and sat up, shoulders slumping as he flipped his phone open. _Still left on ‘delivered’. Here goes, I guess, I only get one more shot at this._

 

The follow up text took him far longer to type out than he was comfortable with, but… As L read it back over, he found himself praying ( _again, I don’t even believe in God_ ) that it would convince Light to give him another chance. _I don’t want to go back to being lonely._

 

**“Light. I’m sorry. I know you probably still think that everything that happened between us on Friday and Saturday was a lie, and you would be well within your rights to never speak to me again, but I swear to you that is the farthest thing from the truth. I promise you that none of it was a set up. The truth is that I have lived a very isolated life and that I just wanted to make a real connection with someone. The truth is, ‘cracking the case’ was the farthest thing from my mind when I made that profile. The truth is I walked into that cafe fully expecting you to take one look at me and laugh, to get up and leave, because that’s what everyone does. But you didn’t. You actually… LIKED me? For whatever reason. And no matter what happens from here, that was the best night of my life, and I will always cherish it.**

**I’m not good at being truthful. I’ve never been good at interacting with people, and I am definitely not good at giving genuine apologies. I have always been childish, and I lash out when people hurt me, and I say horrible things I don’t mean. I am truly sorry. I wish I could take it all back and just say what I meant, but if this is my last chance, all I can end with is… I hate that I hurt you, and if you’ll let me, I want to make it up to you. And if not… then thank you for giving me one good memory that I can hold on to.”**

 

\---

 

Light was stepping through his front door again when he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket, but he waited until he was back upstairs in his room to decide whether to look. It had gone off shortly after he’d left and he _knew_ who it was then and who it probably was now. He sat down on his bed, pulling it from his pocket and looking at it for a moment before actually going to read the text messages. _Whoa._ The first one was quite short but the second was very long, and Light took his time to read it over twice, especially ‘ _I promise you that none of it was a set up. The truth is that I have lived a very isolated life and that I just wanted to make a real connection with someone.’_ His throat felt very tight with how much he wanted to believe that, because wasn’t that what Light wanted too? What he’d thought he’d stumbled on and then doubted?

 

He was smiling a little, a couple of tears finally sliding down his face as he battled with his instincts not to trust and the strong desire to connect, same as what Ryuzaki wanted. And it occurred to him then that if Ryuzaki-- _if L--_ wasn’t being sincere, after the ability to write something like that, then Light Yagami deserved to be executed because there was nothing worth saving in this world that he’d fight for. _No, it was sincere. He meant that._

 

Light laid down on his bed, curling on his side as he thought of what to reply. **“I believe you.”** _I probably shouldn’t but I do._ He ignored Ryuk’s disapproving clucking from behind him, trying to hide his phone screen from the shinigami, despite knowing it was useless. _Let me be a little foolish Ryuk._ **“I wanted to connect too. I still want that.”**

 

 **“And I still want to talk to you.”** Light let out a long breath, composing himself before sending a link to the double-encrypted chat Wire. There was no possibility that L or anyone else could hack this without two long randomly-generated keys for every message sent, and no way for L to infiltrate beyond the program. **“But use this app, if you don’t mind. It’s encrypted.”**

 

\------

 

L honestly hadn’t been expecting to hear back from Light at all, so when his phone began vibrating in his hand (with that distinctive heartbeat pattern he had set up Saturday while on the bus), his breath caught and he glanced towards the door to the main room. The messages Light had sent made him smile, a wet sounding, relieved laugh escaping him, and he clicked the link immediately. _Don’t push your luck, L,_ he told himself as he typed out a quick message.

 **L:** Hello from the other side, then.

 **L:** And thank you for giving me another chance. But first… are you back home right now? If you are, give me five minutes to clear your father out of the room. I, uh… don’t think we want to have this discussion while he’s watching the surveillance. <_<

 

Without waiting to see what Light said, because he probably _was_ home, L opened the door and walked out into the main room, settling into his customary chair and reaching for the control, ignoring the curious look Soichiro gave him. “Thank you, Yagami-san,” L said quietly as he turned the volume down. “If you could take Aizawa-san or Mogi-san to the station to man the phones, Matsuda-san can relieve one of them for the evening surveillance. I can take over from here.” Thankfully, surprisingly, the man actually stood up and walked out of the room without anything more than a brief nod in his direction, and L watched him go curiously before turning his attention back to his phone.

 **L:** ...Nevermind, you’re in the clear now.

 

Light was still feeling raw and confused.

 **Light:** Ryuzaki, if this isn’t a trick, why would you still want to talk to me? Isn’t this a conflict of interest for your case?

There, he’d said what had been on his mind all night. He did believe Ryuzaki’s apologetic texts, they rang true to him, but he was reaching for the reason the detective would be closing rather than creating distance between them.  

 

 **L:** No trick. And I thought it would have been obvious why I still want to talk to you, Light.

 **L:** Because unless you didn’t feel like last weekend meant anything, we have ridiculous chemistry, and I like the way I was with you. And… perhaps it is a conflict of interest. I still like you.

 

Light smiled at the response, but couldn’t help but still be slightly petulant.

 **Light:** Some nerve sending me that chat like ‘hello beautiful.’ What was I supposed to think when I saw your trace program?

 

 _Yeah, he’s still mad at me._ L sighed miserably, but he couldn’t help but smile slightly, honestly just glad that Light was still willing to talk to him.

 **L:** Yeah… I shouldn’t have used that program. I AM sorry. 

**L:** So why didn’t you just do this in the first place, then? It might’ve saved us both some irritation and grief.

 **L:** Besides… you liked the compliment. :)

 

 **Light:** I should have, shouldn’t I… something was clouding my judgement I guess.

 

The lack of response to his cautiously flirty comment stung, but L really should have seen that coming. _Too soon. Back off._

 **L:** Oh? Whatever could that have been?

 

Light frowned down at his phone. _There’s nothing to lose by answering honestly._

 **Light:** Just being happy to hear from you.

 

 _Does he mean that? Still?_ It was getting easier for L to say what felt right to him in this situation, instead of lashing out or being a jerk, so… maybe this was a promising sign.

 **L:** … Aww. I wish time travel were a thing, then, because I truly didn’t mean to be a dick.

 **L:** I really am sorry, again. :\ I want to make it up to you, if I can.

 

 **Light:** You can start by promising that you won’t trick me, at least while we’re talking as two people and not as investigator and suspect.

 **Light:** Do whatever you want otherwise, I can’t blame you for doing your job.

_Can’t I?_

**Light:** But I can’t deal with seeing you if I’m going to be constantly second-guessing everything. I need that partition, please.

 

 **L:** That… is entirely fair. I promise. :)

 **L:** This is all very new for me. And I’m not very good at conveying what I actually MEAN through text. So…

 **L:** Maybe I can make you laugh? :)

L waited with bated breath to see what Light would say, idly wondering to himself, _Why do we all always try to put a happy face on when someone we care about is upset? I never thought I would ever be in a position where I felt the need to do this._

 

 **Light:** Oh please do. I don’t even care if it’s funny, I’ll laugh cause I NEED it :)

 **Light:** And thank you, for meeting me halfway

 

Letting out a soft sigh, L murmured to himself, “I really messed up.” He had been _going_ to tell Light a joke, but maybe Light would prefer something a little more _fun_ than him trying to be _punny_.

 **L:** Then do yourself a favour and look up epic rap battles of history on YouTube. :D You shared a band you like, so it’s my turn to share something *I* like!

 **L:** (I would definitely start with Shakespeare vs Seuss or Goku vs Superman, buuuuut you absolutely NEED to check out Einstein vs Hawking at some point. :D I DIE laughing every time.)

 

It felt like a diversion, but Light welcomed it. He was still feeling a little anxious at the moment and maybe these videos would cheer him up. _Or at least distract me._ He searched through YouTube until he found one, watching until he couldn’t help but grin, finally laughing outright.

_Yeah, this is what I needed. A reminder than we can still laugh together, of why we connected._

**Light:** XD oh my god...I just listened to the Seuss v Shakespeare and my sides hurt. ‘What light through yonder poser breaks’?! Sick burn…And then Skrillex v Mozart… ‘I rocked harder than you when I was five years old?’ I think I see a trend here that the older dude always wins.

 **Light:** This is great, thank you, I think (as I go down the video hole).

 

Watching Light’s reaction on the surveillance felt like a ray of sunshine breaking through storm clouds, and L found himself laughing, even as he felt like crying in sheer _relief._

 **L:** Okay, you are my favourite person :D

 **L:** NOBODY ELSE I KNOW likes these guys XD

 **L:** *cough* Oh, uh, you’re welcome. :D

 

 **Light:** Guess they are missing out. Even shadow detectives are allowed to have a sense of humor.

 **Light:** I just watched the James Bond v Austin Powers one... ‘Dr. No means no, baby’

 

Shadow detectives. Snorting, L let out a long exhale, feeling the lump in his throat finally going away as he smiled fully.

 **L:** *cough* Watch Artists vs Turtles next! <_<

 **L:** Hmm. Right, you haven’t really _seen_ much of my sense of humour yet, have you. >:D

 

 **Light:** Uh oh, are you trying to warn me about something? I can handle pretty much anything after dealing with my little sister’s pranks and teasing

 

 _HMM. What type of pun do I want to start with first?_ L chewed on one of his fingernails for a moment before laughing. _Might as well go for a terrible music one, so far music is the only non-sexual thing we’ve bonded over._

 **L:** Mmmmmm… :D Well, I just changed my iPod’s name to Titanic.

 **L:** … it’s syncing now. >:D

 

 **Light:** Ryuzaki… that was terrible.

 **Light:** …

 **Light:** …

 **Light:** I’m starting to get the feeling you’re a very trebled man.

 

Giggling, L immediately fired back with one he’d seen online on a joke site just the other day.

 **L:** Want to start a cover band with me?

 **L:** We can call ourselves “Duvet” :P

 

 **Light:** Sure, although I don’t think anyone would come to our shows due to all the sax and violins.

 

 **L:** :O Are you saying… well, let it never be said we don’t think outside the Bach’s. :D (Also, real talk, I’d probably actually be ALL over you onstage… you just have that raw sex apPEAL, don’t you know)

 

 **Light:** If you weren’t all over me I might throw a tempo tantrum on stage ;) (oh god how long can we go on like this, haha)

 

 **L:** LOL, oh man XD Is that a _fret_? (I got more)

 

 **Light:** Of course not. I’m much too clef-er to threaten you. (don’t let me stop you lol)

 

 **L:** Okay, okay, fine, you’re pretty sharp. But did you hear? The avocado’s favourite musical genre is guac’n’roll. O:)

 

 **Light:** That just went a whole octave lower. XD But my puns are falling flat too.

 

 **L:** Aww, but I’ll be done in a minuet! *pout*

 

 **Light:** Alright, but I’m not sure how much more I can Handel.

 

That one just made L burst into giggles, even as he pouted down at his phone. “Thief!”

 **L:** Aahhhh, you stole my last one! I guess trying to win a pun war with you just wasn’t my forte. :D

 

 **Light:** You Schubert that? Seem to have me Bach-ed into a corner.

 

 **L:** Are you calling me a lyre? :O

 

 **Light:** I’m calling the pun police. Double time for assaulting a minor ;) (kidding, I’m no minor)

 

_Oh, I know, and thank goodness for that._

**L:** Hmmm. Good, because I can’t control my bass-er instincts around you. <_<

 

 **Light:** Very relieved to hear you have a coda conduct. Else the punishment would B Major.

 

 **L:** Ooh, would I be able to choose my punishment? :D

 **L:** Accordion to you, I have a particularly talented mouth, and that really _struck a chord_ with me. *kiss*

 

 **Light:** Now how am I supposed to come up with any puns? I think my mind just baroque.

 

 **L:** Did I push you to crescendo too soon? I much prefer being in harmony with you :) I’ll give it a _rest_

 

 **Light:** You know I have enough movements in my symphony to keep things going ;) Although your mouth does put me in a fugue state.

 

L blinked, and grinned, licking his lips as he squirmed in his chair. _Dammit, Light._

 **L:** Mm, I en-trance you, do I? Or is it just my mouth that is instrumental to said state? I *do* so like being with someone who enjoys hymn-self with me

 

 **Light:** Well, I’m Chopin at the bit to see _all_ of you. Not fair that you’ve gotten to see me without returning the favor. I wonder if you recorder-ed (ugh that’s a stretch but hey) it for later?

 

 _SHIT._ L’s breath hitched at that, leaning down over his crossed legs as he furiously typed a response to that loaded question.

 **L:** Oh, the dynamics between us certainly ARE unfair. I got to see you in ALL your espressivo glory…. but I noticed you only did it when I was alone. Trying to tease me, Light? :) If you’ll let me, I can show you the _scale_ of what I’ve kept for later. But first… when can I see you again? That never really DID get addressed, not fully.

 

 **Light:** Tease? Just a little improvisation. Come and see me tonight, don’t know how much longer I can go without settling this score.

 

 **L:** Shit.

This exchange had him panting a little (okay, a _lot_ ), and L smiled happily at Light’s response.

 **L:** You’re making it difficult for me to stay composed. When? I would very much like to see you as soon as possible. (Also, I think you win this round, I just want you right now)

 

Light hummed with pleasure that L had conceded the game, even if it was probably just because the detective was too horny to go on.

 **Light:** Seems you can’t resist my overtures. XD Alright, I’ll stop. But if you concede the round then you have no choice but to drive over here and pick me up. That’s my prize.

 

_Oh, that sounds absolutely doable._

**L:** I can’t resist them, actually, you had me at ‘come see me tonight’. I’ll need a little time to set this up, if you’re serious.

 **L:** Text you when I’m leaving? :)

 

 **Light:** Sure thing. I’m sure you won’t bother asking where I live.

 

\----

 

“Absolutely not,” L murmured to himself with a grin, scrambling out of his chair immediately and making a mad dash to the bedroom. No-one else in the task force usually dared to go in there, but even still, he locked the door once he was in, turning the light on this time as he pulled a clean pair of jeans out of the dresser. He had the lazy habit of wearing the same pair of jeans multiple days in a row just because they didn’t get dirty as quickly as other items of clothing, and he had been in and out of these ones for three days… if he was going to see Light, it was _definitely_ time to change. “I can’t believe all it took was a fucking _pun war_ to fix my stupid mess,” he laughed. _Or… maybe it had… much more to do with that apology. I doubt he’s so superficial that…_ Well, still, it had been a fun little challenge to come up with the puns or jokes off the top of his head and have them actually be _relevant._

 

As he kicked out of his jeans, L dialed Aiber’s number on his phone and waited for the voice on the other end to pick up. It only took two rings. _Hmm. He’s getting quicker, good_. “It’s L. I need you to drive me somewhere.” He listened to the single question and snorted. “Watari can’t know… yet. Why do you think I called _you_? Pick one of the limos and meet me out front of the hotel in five minutes. I will give you the address you need when I get in.” Without waiting for a response, he flipped his phone closed and pulled on a fresh pair of jeans, going to the mirror in the bathroom and swiping fingers through his hair perfunctorily before shrugging. He’d never really cared about looking good _before_ , so why start now? _Maybe because now you’ve got someone to impress._ Who seemed to like him just the way he was. Before leaving the bedroom, he _did_ swipe a bag of candy from the bedside table.

 

Now for the hard part. L moved to the door of his suite and saw Soichiro standing outside it chatting idly with Matsuda. _Of course. Wait, how long have they been back? Oh well, no matter_. “Yagami-san, I am going to need you to watch the video feeds for a few hours. Matsuda-san, please return to Watari’s rooms, this is not a social call.”

 

“Where are you going?” Yagami requested, immediately frowning.

 

“There has been a development in the case independent of our surveillance, and it requires attention immediately,” L lied smoothly. “Since I believe I can assess the situation more thoroughly if I’m to go to the source, you need to stay here and keep an eye on things for me.”

 

“Y-yes, Ryuzaki-san!” Matsuda stammered, looking at L with wide, curious eyes even as he disappeared into the other room. The Chief eyed him for a long moment before nodding and heading in. L let out a slow breath, and finally tugged on his jacket again, stuffing his hands in his pockets as he made his way down to the lobby.

 

Just as he’d requested, his limo was idling out front, and he hurried out and slid into the back seat, calling out a softly smug, “Thank you for being so _prompt_ , Aiber.”

 

A handsome face belonging to a blond man appeared in the window and gave him a smirk, asking flippantly, “So are you _still_ using that Frankenstein’s monster you call a cell phone, L?”

 

“Shut up, I like it,” L said defensively, even though he had been thinking of replacing it only four days ago. _Why is he always on my case about my phone?_

 

“If you’re _so_ obsessed with Apple that you need Watari to cannibalize a flip phone for you, why don’t you just get-”

 

Sighing, L cut him off with the address. “Aiber, _do_ be quick about it.” Aiber laughingly retreated, and the limo pulled away.

 

\-------------

 

Light took note of the time that Ryuzaki logged off, wondering how long it would take him to get here by car. He already had one point of reference in his extrapolation game-- when he’d figured out where Ryuzaki was coming from at their meeting in the cafe. _Not that he’s coming from the same place exactly, but there’s a good chance._ It was more to sate his curiosity and pass the time than for any real reason, with solving a little mystery being reason enough for him. If Ryuzaki _was_ coming from somewhere in Midtown again, the traffic would be light at this time of night but it was still a 25-30 minute drive he guessed.

 

Turning to his computer, he unplugged the ethernet cable and ran a burn on the hard drive with the chat program to obliterate the hardware, turning the monitor off while it ran. _Still being watched, I assume._ The other drive should be fine, but he executed a quarantine program anyway just to be safe. _I’m really getting paranoid, but that’s how I’ve stayed alive so far. I’m taking a real chance meeting him now, but I have to know if this is real._

 

He hurried into the shower, not exactly feeling dirty from the day but not his shiny best either. Excitement was tingling him all over because now he knew, didn’t he? Knew that this was _L_ , and just the thought of that was starting to make him hard in the shower. And silly as it was, matching wits with him in their punny flirtations had been...exhilarating? Finding out that Ryuzaki was intelligent _and_ funny was a heady combination; it wasn’t unusual to find either/or, but Light was an absolute sucker for both. He quickly scrubbed himself and toweled off, his phone beeping on the sink counter when he exited the shower. Light snatched it up, unconsciously grinning down at it just a moment before wiping the expression away. _I don’t want to appear too giddy, because I don’t know who’s watching me now._

 

The text from L read, “ **On my way. Think of an excuse to tell your mother if she asks, and I will make sure my driver knows to improvise.** ”

 

Light quickly texted back, **“Excellent. I’ll think of something. Maybe park a block or so away and let me know where you are. I’ll walk down there.”**

 

 _I need to think of an excuse_... Light pulled on some normal clothes as he cycled through potential reasons he could have for stepping out so late at night. He could say he was seeing Misa but that might get back to her; plus he needed to stay on her good side if he was going to wheedle concert tickets out of her. _No, it has to be boring and related to the entrance exam. They won’t let me out except to study._ He grabbed his study notes and crammed them into his book bag, making sure he had some money for train fare if needed. Heading downstairs, he nearly ran into his mother who was on her way up.

 

Sachiko gave him a curious look. “Light? Are you going somewhere again? It’s nearly 10 o’clock and you have school tomorrow.”

 

Light smiled breezily, “I just remembered that I left a folder with some of my cram notes at the library. I need to pop out and go get them, but while I’m there I might as well stay and study a while. It’s a little hard to concentrate with…” He pointed towards Sayu’s room, which was blaring upbeat pop music. “Only a few days before the exam and I want to do my very best.”

 

His mother’s concerned expression faded, and she leaned to kiss him on the cheek. “So studious. Of course, but be safe and text me if you’re going to be out later than midnight, alright? Else I’ll worry.”

 

“I will, Mom. The library stays open until midnight so I won’t be too much later than that.” _Guess that’s when I turn into a pumpkin._ Light gave his mother one last grin and headed down the stairs, trying not to look like he was in too much of a hurry. His phone hadn’t gone off yet but it should any moment now, if he’d guessed Ryuzaki’s distance right. Pausing in the foyer, he put his shoes back on and shrugged on a black wool coat, then headed outside.

 

\-----

 

This wasn’t as bad as his bus ride to Shinjuku, not by a _long_ shot, but the ride to Light’s neighborhood was still taking longer than L wanted it to. _You know that if you had your way, it would be instantaneous travel, any length of time is too much._ Granted, as he had Aiber pull off down a small side street and park, he had to admit that twenty minutes wasn’t that bad. The con man had really pushed it for him, and he called out, “Good job, thank you, Aiber. Now we wait.”

 

**“Here. I’m a block away, down a little side street to your right when you leave your house. Look for the limo. I’ll be waiting. 🙂”**

 

“What exactly are you _doing_?” Aiber called, and L sighed. “You’re pretty keyed up for a case. If I didn’t know better, I would say this is a _sex_ thing.”

 

 _Jesus fucking Christ, am I that transparent?_ L thought to himself, scowling and shaking his head.

 

“So it _is_ a sex thing! Who’s the lucky lady? Or is it a guy?”

 

“I’m closing the window, Aiber,” L gritted out, trying not to laugh, pressing the button that made the window shut the man out. _He’s so insufferable sometimes. It’s a good thing I like him, or I might actually be annoyed._

 

“Wait! Come on, I’m just having a laugh!”

 

Exhaling hard, L moved to the side of the car that Light would be appearing at, watching out the window with a lollipop shoved in his mouth. _Please don’t keep me waiting for long, Light._

 

\------

 

Light was past his mailbox when his phone buzzed again, and he pulled it out right away. _Here faster than I thought. Down a street to the right._ He headed in that direction, mumbling to the hovering and softly hyuk-ing shinigami at his shoulder, “Scram, you. I already _wrote_ today, so there’s nothing ‘entertaining’ for you to see.”

 

Ryuk chuckled louder at the blush on Light’s cheeks and the glare he was getting. “Heh, well, not sure ‘bout that but I’ll make myself scarce. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do, hyuk hyuk.”

 

Light rolled his eyes and hissed, “Beat it already!” Ryuk flapped higher into the air, perching atop a streetlamp some distance away. _Out of sight, out of mind._ He rounded the corner, keeping an eye out for a limousine on the quiet residential street, but this alley was quite dark.

 

“That’s him,” L breathed, pointing Light out to Aiber. “Get his attention-”  

 

Suddenly the headlights of a car parked in the alley came on at full-brightness, blinding Light for a moment before they dimmed again. He shielded his eyes and winced, blinking to let his eyes adjust.

 

The bright light that flooded the alleyway was enough to blind even L, and he hissed, “Not _that_ bright, idiot. Come on.” He smacked the shoulder of the laughing man and closed the window between the front seat and the back before scrambling back to the door Light was about to try knocking on.

 

Light saw that it was definitely a limo, it had to be Ryuzaki inside. He took a deep breath as he approached the rear doors, unable to see in because of the dark tint on the windows. He tapped on the glass lightly. _I hope it’s him, else it looks like I’m making a drug deal._ His heart was racing, knowing they were about to see each other for the first time in (mostly) full knowledge of the other. Because just as surely as he knew Ryuzaki was L, there wasn’t much doubt in his mind that Ryuzaki knew Light was Kira, despite his lies to the contrary.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Epic Rap Battles of History that Light watched:  
> [Seuss v Shakespeare](https://youtu.be/l3w2MTXBebg)  
> [Mozart v Skrillix](https://youtu.be/_6Au0xCg3PI)  
> [James Bond v Austin Powers](https://youtu.be/Iy7xDGi5lp4)


	15. Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> L and Light finally get to see each other again, and make their apologies in the back of the limo.

L paused for a minute, trying to compose himself, but gave it up as a lost cause when the smile that was threatening to break out on his face just would _not_ go away. _Fine._ Rolling down the window with the press of a button, L practically _beamed_ up at Light, saying in a soft and breathless voice, “I’m _so_ glad to see you, Light.” _Light. Kira. Is standing right in front of me, and all I want to do is kiss him. I didn’t think I would even get the CHANCE to see him again._ He pulled himself up a bit, leaning on his elbows out the window and reaching out to try and snag Light’s fingers, squeezing them lightly before the teen could do anything else. “I thought I would never... _Thank_ you for giving me another chance.”

 

The top of a spiky black-haired head was the first thing Light saw as the window inched down, but that was all he needed to start smiling like a fool again, only feeling slightly bothered with who was actually in the driver’s seat right now. _Oh god, I hope this is someone you can trust to keep our secret._ He met Ryuzaki’s eyes and let his hand be grabbed, grinning at how handsy Ryuzaki was being right away. _And just like that, we connect again._ Light squeezed his hand back, “Of course I did. I needed to see you.” Words felt choked in his throat, and it was an odd feeling for him to not have the next three things to say mapped out in his mind. A part of him wanted to pull Ryuzaki right through the window and into his arms, kiss him right there in the alley and...instead he merely blushed, “And I’ve really missed you.” _How should I think of you---as Ryuzaki or as L? Are both names fake?_

 

L retreated back into the limo and opened the door for Light, heart racing and feeling lighter than he had in days. _He really DID miss me? I can’t fuck this up._ He couldn’t really bring himself to care about anything but coming to some sort of decision on what they were going to do and _where._ “Seems you had an easy escape from home, didn’t need our help after all.”

 

Light stepped back for the door to swing open, taking a quick look around the alley before sliding inside gracefully and closing the door again. If he could have managed to tear his eyes away from Ryuzaki, it would have been a novelty for him to be inside a limousine for the first time. But he could only scoot closer across the leather seat, barely hearing what the man was saying at all as he silenced him with a kiss. Light pushed harder, shifting to move into his lap and stroking his hair from his face. _I waited three days to do this, not knowing if I ever would again, if I’d be in handcuffs before I was ever in your arms._

 

The way Light took the initiative to kiss him always took his breath away, and L found himself whimpering happily into the teen’s mouth, just relishing the slide of lips against his, and hands in his hair - and of Light’s warm weight suddenly pressed into his lap. He squeezed suddenly stinging eyes shut, his hands immediately coming up to hover at Light’s back and shoulders before curling into the teen’s coat and hair and practically melting into the kiss. _He’s real. And HERE. I didn’t just dream him up._

 

After a few minutes, Light forced himself to pull back, leaning now with his hands on either side of Ryuzaki against the seat back.

 

L blinked his eyes open, staring up as the teen pressed his hands to the seat on either side of his head now. “Light,” he breathed, only to have his own words over ridden.

 

“I have to be back around midnight. Told my mom I would be at the library but she won’t check up on that. So, we don’t have a ton of time. Sorry...best I could do.”

 

L blinked again and smiled. “So we only have a little bit of time? What would you like to do, then, where to go? Or just go nowhere at all? Perhaps just drive around?” Bringing one hand down to rub against Light’s thigh, L chuckled. “I’m not used to having such constraints on my time…” But if that was the case and he only had until midnight… “How are we supposed to do all the naughty things we’ve been talking about if we only have a couple hours?”

 

Light wasn’t happy about the short time limit either, but as long as he was still living at home, sneaking around was all they had. He let himself be kissed again, smiling into it and enjoying the odd mixture of relief and pleasure to feel Ryuzaki’s touch again...along with the wild alarm of _kissing your enemy who supposedly hates you._ He’d never experienced a thrill like this, and it was so complex now what he felt for the man beneath him. One moment wanting to pin him to the seat and and punish his body, whisper how many times L had made him _furious_ over the past days and months...the next moment wanting to be tender and soft, to laugh together like lovestruck fools as they had in the hotel. They were both deluding themselves weren’t they? Trading truth for tongue, purpose for pleasure, but Light wasn’t going to break the illusion now. Not now that he finally had what he’d selfishly desired these three days and wanted to believe in so badly.

 

Light pulled away to look into Ryuzaki’s eyes, searching, but there was no trap laid there tonight. Panting as he felt Ryuzaki’s hand grip his thigh, “I don’t care where we go. I’ll fuck you in the back of this car if I have to.” Light giggled, casting a look over his shoulder at the opaque glass between them and the driver. “Hope that’s soundproof if so.” He actually liked that idea far more than expected, going back to his little fetish for sneaky exhibitionism, and pressed his growing erection against Ryuzaki’s stomach.

 

 _Will you, Light? Do you promise?_ L pressed another kiss to Light’s mouth, fingers tangling possessively now in the teen’s hair and chuckling when he felt the reaction Light was clearly not trying to suppress at all. _Intoxicating._

 

“Are you going to take me right _here_ for two hours?” L murmured, grinning widely as his heart pounded hard in his chest, and his breath caught at the way Light was pressing into his lap. A soft whimper left him and he snaked his arms around Light’s back, tugging the teen more firmly against him, rolling his hips up for more friction.

 

“Would you protest?” Light gave him a little smirk, “Maybe Ryuzaki doesn’t want that anymore, given all the complications surrounding _me_ now.” He leaned in to drag his lips across the faded bruise at Ryuzaki’s neck, pressing wet kisses there and licking up to his ear.

 

L shook his head, saying breathlessly, “Do you _really_ think I don’t want you now?” Tilting his head back, he couldn’t help but laugh softly at the way he immediately fell right back into letting Light do whatever he wanted. It felt _amazing_ to have Light’s mouth on him, pressing against the bruise on his neck, a pleasurable reminder of the things they had already _done_. “Because I think it’s pretty clear how much I _want you._ ”

 

Light whispered, “Won’t you be compromising your objectivity if you go back to your little investigation filled with your suspects cum?” He ground their hips together at that thought, nipping Ryuzaki’s earlobe, “Then again, unconventional methods of collecting evidence are a hallmark of _L.”_

 

An almost agonized moan left L when Light ground down against him, and he nearly bit through his lip in his attempt to stifle it. _Is he goading me about the investigation to get back at me for everything?_ He couldn’t tell if he wanted that to be the case or not, considering how turned on he was. He whispered in a voice made heavy by arousal, “Light, I thought you wanted… me to keep my investigative side under wraps while we were together?” _Oh god, the thought of going back with the smell of sex all over me… evidence of what we did still inside me… maybe even new marks on me - why is that so HOT?_ Twisting his fingers in Light’s hair, he yanked the teen’s head back lightly, giving him a meaningful look, trying to keep the hopeful smile hidden for the moment. “Or did I misunderstand your desires? You might have to… enlighten me, since my previous methods were unsuccessful.”

 

As he spoke, he was attempting to work his free hand up under Light’s coat, itching to get it off, but first attempting to get his fingers on smooth skin so he could tease right _back_.

 

Light shrugged off his coat to the floor of the limo, slightly surprised that Ryuzaki hadn’t reacted much to the sound of his real name-- hadn’t denied it or reprimanded him for it. Or maybe that wasn’t his real name any more than Ryuzaki was? Light froze slightly as his hair was yanked, “Actually, all I asked was that you wouldn’t _trick_ me when we were together like this. Did you agree to the wrong thing?” _Or maybe I just didn’t say it clearly._ All of these doubts were just breaking the moment though, and he didn’t want it ruined again, not when they’d almost slipped back to where they were at the hotel.

 

His eyes closed and it was just nice to be touched, trying to focus on that instead of being afraid. But could he go back to just pretending to be two nobodies, random strangers? Did he want to? _Not particularly._ Light sighed, letting his forehead touch L’s. “My desires…I’m not sure what I want.” Laughing softly, “Nothing good for me, that’s for sure.”

 

L stared at Light when the teen’s mood shifted, and his heart sank for a moment. _What did I say to ruin it this time?_ He let his hands fall to Light’s waist, watching his face carefully and trying to catch all the unspoken things Light was broadcasting with his behaviour. _He’s holding himself back again. Because I misquoted what he said?_

 

Light regretted the cryptic reply, but it didn’t seem a good idea to tell him that it was _L_ he’d wanted all along and _that’s_ why it was a turn on to talk about the case. That even when they’d fucked all over that hotel room, it was _L_ he was imagining, fantasizing about. That would sound pretty damn incriminating, wouldn’t it? Why would some normal innocent teenager who was _very much not Kira_ have thoughts like that? _They wouldn’t._ So those things would live in Light’s mind and Ryuzaki was right, shouldn’t be voiced. “You’re right, we shouldn’t talk about the case when we’re together like this. Just ignore me and my mouth, it’s all the tension of the last few days running over.” Light pulled his shirt over his head, tossing it down with his coat. He took L’s hands and brought them to his chest, to encourage him, distract him. Quietly, “So forget about it.”

 

L was silent as Light pressed against him, speaking cryptic words and trying to distract him with half nakedness. _No… no, that’s NOT going to work this time, Light. I know who you are, I’m not just suspicious about your interests. I’m not fishing for the truth while hiding myself from you. I’m not ignoring the signs you gave me. I knew all along, whether I wanted to admit it or not, and teased and tested and goaded to get what I wanted, and you gave me so much more than I gave you. That wasn’t fair to you. Perhaps I should…_

 

Chewing on his lip, L let him bring his hands to press against Light’s naked chest, smiling slowly as he trailed his fingertips lightly over the defined muscles before finally murmuring, “Hold up. I think you need to hear me out before trying to _distract_ me.” L sat up, wrapping his arms around Light’s waist again and pressing his mouth to the teen’s chest in a slow, sensual way before saying softly, “You know who I am now. That changes _everything._ ” He trailed the tip of his tongue to one nipple, teasing it the way he remembered Light liked before biting down _hard._ “I told you truths about myself, Friday night, and Saturday morning, even if I held _that_ truth back. Everything we did, everything I said… _all_ of it was real.”

 

Light’s heart was racing to feel L’s mouth on his skin, and he moaned softly as that wet tongue teased his nipple, bit him hard. _Oh fuck, he remembered._ His fingers threaded into black hair to hold him there, but Light relaxed his grip in surprise and relief at Ryuzaki’s words, trying to focus on listening while everywhere he was touched was on fire.

 

Looking up to Light’s face, L stared him right in the eyes, his own gaze wide and dark and serious now. “No tricks. I _promise_. Thought I told you that, but maybe I didn’t, and I’m sorry if I forgot to say it.” He pressed a soft kiss to Light’s mouth before nipping at his lip, fingers now kneading down over Light’s ass.

 

Meeting L’s lips now felt so raw, so full of dangerous what-ifs as the words, and the truth continued to flow out.

 

“I _saw_ you, Light. That little display of total dominance in the shower Saturday morning? I _saw you._ ” The words were spilling out of L now, heedless of whether it was a good idea to say it or not, coming quicker and quieter, and _harsher_ in Light’s ear as he found himself panting, teeth sinking sharply into Light’s earlobe, squirming under the teen and completely turned on by remembering that little display of _Kira._ “And I _wanted_ it. I didn’t want it to _end_. Wanted you to take me, and use me, again and _again_ , and _AGAIN_ because you showed me who you _are._ ” L let out a breathless little laugh and clutched his hand into the hair at the nape of Light’s neck, trailing wet kisses down from his ear before sinking his teeth in, gently at first, and then a little harder at Light’s reaction.

 

Light gasped as teeth sunk into his neck, arousal spiking at L’s intensity in this moment. Pressing back against the man, heedless, “Yes...yes you did see me…” Light whined as Ryuzaki bit him _again,_ squirming now in his lap as his erection was throbbing almost painfully.

 

L quickly let go, grinning against the teen’s neck and lapping at the bite to soothe it before whispering harshly, “ _You_ wanted to see me tonight even though you _know_ I am L, and have had you under surveillance for the last few days. And I see _Kira_ in you, no matter what you say… and all I want is for you to _fuck me_ like you did before you knew who I was.” _Now go ahead and tell me how fucked up I am if you don’t want this just as much as I do._

 

 _Oh fuck, he sees Kira and… wants that?_ Light had been scared, terrified that becoming a suspect would have killed what desire L had for him and changed everything, but in the wrong way. That the detective would have seen their tryst as an opportunity to be exploited to catch the butterfly that had once flown head-first into his net but escaped. _That I’d become the monster to you, and you’d despise me._ But that wasn’t what L was saying, wasn’t what his _body_ was saying, to Light. He smiled, eyes half-lidded, at the soft and privileged feeling he experienced each time he got to know something real about the man he knew now he cared for.

 

“I saw you too.” Light panted, “And what I saw was L.” He let his head fall back, exposing more of his neck to L and laughing at the stupidity of the admission spilling out, but unable to stop himself with _L’s_ hands kneading his flesh. “I _wanted_ you to be L in that moment, in the shower. Imagined you were him!” _My enemy, my rival._ Letting his head roll forward again, he grinned and thought-- _I’m well and truly fucked if he doesn’t mean it._ Meeting L’s eyes as his hips moved rhythmically against him, he whispered, “That’s right. When I had you tied up, gagged, fucking you in the mirror...it was him I saw. It was you.”

 

L had known that admitting all of these things to Light was a humongous risk. After all, there _was_ the slightest possibility that he was wrong… and that Light was just another highly intelligent teenager who merely happened to have some extreme kinks, who would expose him for his _stunning_ conflict of interest regarding the biggest serial murder case the world had ever _seen._ And he knew that, even if he was _right_ and Light _was_ Kira, there was practically _zero_ chance he would admit to it. After all, that was the game, wasn’t it? But the prospect of losing that connection he had felt with Light _before_ all of these reveals had taken place was too much for him… and from Light’s reaction, his gamble had paid off in a _huge_ way, as the teen responded so _beautifully_ to his confession. And L had to admit, finally hearing Light come out and _say_ that he had been imagining a nebulous version of ‘L’ while fucking him (which was a level of irony L could appreciate even in his current state of ‘ _who-gives-a-shit’_ horniness) was sending him into a frenzy of need, gasping at the way Light ground against him, the sound of that whispered confession hanging in the air between them like a _promise_.

 

Light kissed L hard, pressing him back against the car seat as his hand unzipped his jeans and reached inside to wrap around his length and tease. Light needed to really feel him, know it was true. _And do you think me a monster, L? Do you still hate me? Want me dead?_

 

Light’s hand plunging into L’s jeans and curling to stroke him wrung a muffled cry out of him, and it took all of L’s willpower to not shove him away and _beg_ to be fucked. The way things were going, _that_ would happen in pretty short order.

 

Pulling back, Light gasped for air and laughed again, rolling the die he wasn’t tying his own noose with every stroke, every word. “I nearly called his name when I came inside you in the shower.” _Your name_. “Because that’s who I _needed_ you to be, to understand...” Light trailed off, catching himself before he said ‘ _who I am.’_

 

L found himself writhing under Light’s touch as the teen pulled away, that gorgeous voice whispering dirty little secrets to him that sunk deep into his core, pulling gasping moans out of him. “Holy shit, Light,” L breathed as Light laughed over it. _If he had called my REAL name then, I don’t know WHAT I would have done._

 

Light released L’s cock and pulled the man’s shirt over his head, moving off his lap to hook fingers in his jeans and pull them away too. “I _can’t_ fuck you like I don’t know who you are. Because even then, you were L in my fantasy.” A softer smile as he undid his own pants and kicked them away, “Imagine my surprise.”

  
When Light finally released him, L gave him a wild, anticipatory smile, scrambling to help as the teen stripped him, until he found himself half crouched on the seat, naked and watching Light pull the rest of _his_ clothes off. His gaze flickered to the tinted glass surrounding them, and then to the window in between the backseat and the driver’s seat, and he huffed an amused laugh to himself. _I don’t think the soundproof glass will even muffle everything,_ he thought. _I’ll have to figure out a way to make this up to Aiber later_. “Light?” L brought his gaze back to Light’s, fingers flexing excitedly on the seat as he breathed out, “In the right hand pocket of my coat...” He pointed to the seat across from them where his jacket lay in a heap. “I figured we’d need it, I just didn’t think we’d need it in the _car_. If you’re going to _fuck me,_ grab the lube first... and tell me how you want me.”

 

Light was on the coat in a instant, digging into the pocket with a sly smile as his fingers touched the bottle of lube. _Of course he’d come prepared._ He ‘tsk-ed’ with faux disapproval and tossed the coat away, “So presumptuous.” Advancing on L as he popped the cap of the bottle, “Of _course_ we’d need it in the car.” He placed a hand on L’s chest and pressed him down to lay on the seat, pushing his legs apart and crawling over him. Light was practically thrumming with arousal and anticipation, grinning that they were probably going to make a mighty mess back here. He squirted some of the slick liquid on his fingers, tracing them down L’s cock and moving lower, circling his entrance teasingly.

 

L just let out a breathless giggle when Light advanced on him and pushed him down. He let the comments slide, but inwardly thrilled at the way Light was back to teasing him. _This_ was what he had wanted, _this_ was what he couldn’t get enough of. That grin on Light’s face was the _perfect_ mix of predatory and sexy, and he couldn’t help the moan that left him at the feeling of slick fingers stroking him, _teasing_ him.

 

Light’s other hand went back to L’s chest to hold him down to the seat, and he pressed a single digit inside, moving in and out slowly to let him adapt. After three days, he was so tight again, and Light bit back a moan thinking about how how amazing it was going to feel. “I think I know why Ryuzaki missed me so much.”

 

“ _Not_ Ryuzaki,” L panted, breath stuttering at the way Light held him down and stroked into him. His hands clenched at the seat for a moment, and he couldn’t help but wonder what it was he thought he was doing. _Getting the best sex of my life, hopefully._ His voice broke slightly for a moment at the stimulation and then he was moaning out with a wicked grin and defiant eyes, “You wanted _L_ so badly, you can fucking call me _that_ when you’re screwing me. Ryuzaki is just an alias. _L_ is what I am, who I am.” _That’s not exactly the same as admitting it’s my real name, but maybe it will make him wonder._

 

Light sucked in an aroused breath at that demand. _He wants me to call him L? Oh fuck yes…._ “Oh god, I’m going to fuck you so hard.” He added another finger, scissoring them probably a little too hurriedly, but _shit_ he could hardly wait. Leaning down, he pressed an open-mouth kiss to L’s nipple, sucking and rolling it on his tongue as his fingers curled up towards the man’s prostate. “I’ve been thinking about being inside you again since the moment we said goodbye.”

 

L laughed low and nodded eagerly when Light pressed another finger inside and began working him open quickly, fingers itching now to tangle into Light’s hair to keep his mouth where it was, enjoying the way the teen tortured his nipple. At this point, he wasn’t sure he cared if the preparation was ‘improperly’ done, he wanted Light inside of him so badly, it was a little scary. Breathlessly now, “I fucked myself on my fingers last night to your little display. That’s how much I _missed_ having you inside me.” _And that’s not even the half of it._ The words he’d been planning to say were cut off when Light leaned up to kiss him, and he laughed into the kiss, writhing a little under the teen and rolling his hips down to fuck himself on Light’s fingers.

 

Light’s eyes went wide at L’s admission about what he’d done last night, his pants becoming ragged and impatient. _Oh fuck, I wish I could have seen that._ L’s body was relaxing against his fingers and he pushed in one more, twisting slowly as his mouth found L’s, his tongue darting inside to consume and claim. But that only reminded him of the _other_ thing he’d been obsessing over, and the idea made him hum into Ryuzaki’s mouth before he broke the kiss. “But first…” Light pulled his fingers out slowly, and turned his body around so he was straddling L’s face. _Why not multi-task?_ He lowered himself to engulf L’s cock, tasting the strawberry flavored lube with a chuckle before sliding down further and putting his fingers back to work at opening him up.

 

The heady feeling of being filled was cut short when Light pulled away, and L didn’t hesitate to voice his immediate displeasure, only to flush and cry out when Light turned around to swallow him down. _Shit._ He was lost in his pleasure only a moment before his eyes fluttered back open to see that impressive erection bobbing in his face, and for a moment, L could only giggle, thinking to himself, _a present? For me?_ What would Light say if he actually _voiced_ that silly, teasing thought aloud? He wasn’t interested in finding out this time, instead content to reach up to scrape his nails against the backs of Light’s thighs as he licked teasingly across the head, trailing his tongue down the underside before mouthing at one testicle, giggling again at Light’s reaction.

 

Light shuddered at the nails down his thighs, his thoughts were racing as his lips worked L’s cock, sucking hard at the head until he tasted precum, and sliding back down as far as possible. Finally he was getting what he wanted as he felt L’s tongue start to tease him, making Light moan around the flesh in his mouth and pound his fingers faster while imagining L doing that to himself last night. _Watching me, getting off to me, just like I hoped you would._

Reaching up, L wrapped his fingers around Light, stroking shallowly as he licked and sucked gently at the skin, mimicking some of the pleasurable things Light had done to _him_ Friday night. “I missed being able to do _this,_ as well,” he said, gasping a little at the stimulation and then guiding Light’s cock into his mouth. It was a strange angle, but he figured out quickly how to use it to his advantage, relaxing his throat and swallowing around Light at every awkward, upward thrust of his mouth.

 

Light was unable to keep from thrusting downwards to meet L’s upward bobs. He whined, pulling away a moment to turn his head and hiss, “Oh god, I missed your filthy teasing mouth…” before going back to licking with even more excitement. He was careful not to fuck L’s mouth _too_ forcefully given the odd position, but the temptation was much too strong not to move at all. _And he liked that when I did it before._

 

L groaned around Light at the intensity of sensations that were washing over him; from the way Light’s fingers were fucking him open and massaging his prostate at every stroke now, to the heady excitement of having his mouth stretched full around the teen’s cock, to having _Light’s_ mouth working over his own cock so _exquisitely…_ for a moment, L wasn’t sure how he was going to possibly last long enough for Light to actually _fuck_ him.

 

Light noticed that L’s body wasn’t resisting his fingers anymore, and he couldn’t wait another moment to fuck him, despite the intense pleasure he was getting from everything L was doing with that talented and much-missed mouth. He needed to be one with L, to _see_ him fall apart on Light’s cock. Light gave him one last hard suck, twirling his tongue around the head before letting it fall back to L’s stomach with a wet slap. He panted, “I can’t wait anymore.” He pulled out of L’s mouth with a sob, moving to turn back around. He pushed his arms under L to scoop him up and bring him onto his lap on the seat, gazing up at him with a smile, lips still plush from sucking.

 

As he felt Light pulling out of his mouth, L let out a disappointed sound around the teen, even though he knew and _wanted_ what was coming… and then he found himself shuddering in Light’s arms as he was tugged into his lap, panting harshly as he stared down into warm amber eyes. His gaze shifted to take in everything from those plush, smiling lips, to the flush on Light’s skin, and the way Light’s eyes seemed to shine in the dim lighting, the slight tremble apparent in both of them at what they were about to do. _What are you waiting for, Kira?_

 

Light just stared for a moment, taking in exactly _who this was_ and letting it sink in as he stroked his back. “Will you ride me..” A breathless whisper, “L?” His hands moved to L’s waist, lifting the man up to his knees. Light held his cock just underneath, teasing and nudging it between L’s legs. “Show me what you really wanted last night.”

 

L smiled widely down at Light, exhaling hard when fingers gripped him again, letting them guide him up into a better position, and he whispered breathlessly into Light’s ear, “Are you reading my mind?” Without waiting for a response, he lowered himself onto Light’s cock with a shuddering groan, waiting until he was fully seated before grinning at the teen again. “Because this is what I’ve been fantasizing about since Saturday _night_.”

 

Light moaned loudly as L dropped onto his cock, trembling hands moving to his hips to press him down harder. “Fuck!” His head pushed back onto the seat as his hips lifted. “Oh fuck L...you feel so good….” That tight velvet heat was every bit as amazing as he’d remembered, he’d dreamed of, but the electricity between them was different now, crackling and live. _Because we both know._

 

L rolled his hips testingly, lips parting with a low moan at the sensation it sent through him before murmuring heavily, “Watching you like that, being unable to touch you myself, all I wanted to _do_ was ride you-” Lifting his hips, he ground down again, panting at how _good_ it felt for Light to be so _deep_. “- feel your hands all over me- oh, _god,_ Light.” He squirmed a little, laughing breathlessly at the look on Light’s face before leaning in to kiss him frantically, fucking himself senseless on Light’s cock as he clutched the teen’s shoulders.

 

Watching L using his body to get himself off was the most erotic thing Light had ever seen, and he couldn’t get enough of it, eyes darting to drink it up as he panted through clenched teeth. His hands were all over L’s thin body, pulling him closer, digging nails as he held back the orgasm that he wasn’t ready for. He grinned up at L, meeting each frantic movement with a thrust of his own and tossing his sweat-damp hair out of his face. He exhaled hard to hear L go on describing his reaction to Light’s show, wishing like hell again that he’d seen it. “That’s--that’s what I wanted. I can’t read your mind…” He broke into a moan, shuddering and flushed, more emphatic, “...but I want to _infect_ it. Make you _crave_ me.” Light wrapped his arms around L and pulled him against his chest, holding him immobile and fucking up into him fast and deep, changing his angle until L moaned louder in response.

 

The way Light was moving under him, inside of him, the way he was giving L what he had craved _since Saturday_ and using his words as a springboard to making that fantasy a _reality_ ... The way he said, “ _I_   _want to... make you crave me._ ” It was as _incredible_ as he remembered. L shuddered in his arms, threading the fingers of one hand into Light’s hair as he stroked his other hand down over Light’s cheek, fingers trailing lower and clenching at his collarbone as he was suddenly crushed against the teen’s chest. He let out a _loud_ moan at the way Light immediately began pounding up into him, letting his head fall back once Light found that sweet spot, sending chills up his spine and causing stars to burst behind his eyelids. “ _Light_ -”

 

Forceful now, Light wasn’t holding back a thing anymore, “And will you let _ME_ make you come?” _Knowing who I am?_ Light whined against his shoulder, biting it hard and letting his teeth sink in to mark him, taste him again. _I’d know it anywhere now, the way he smells, tastes._ “I’m going to rip it right out of you!” His hand snaked between them to grasp L’s slick cock, stroking it slow, twisting around the head before sliding back down and squeezing. “I want your pleasure to belong to me…” He turned his head to reach for L’s mouth, needing to be inside him everywhere, wanting to overwhelm and possess him. _And will you be mine then? Will I belong to you too?_

 

“ _YES_ ,” L gasped, clenching around Light with another shudder and blinking his eyes open to stare, pupils blown so wide they looked black. “You’re _already_ what I crave, Light- _please_.” He rolled his hips back down to meet Light’s thrusts, nearly sobbing at the sensation of teeth sinking into his skin. “ _Please_ let me come, _make_ me come-” L cut himself off with an agonized cry as Light reached between them to begin stroking, and he knew it was only going to be a matter of seconds, now, he was so _close_. _My pleasure ALREADY belongs to YOU, Light, haven’t you been paying attention?_

 

Light was sucking and biting L’s lips in his frenzy, until the taste of coppery blood touched his tongue. He broke the kiss but was past apologizing, his own lips parting with a gasp of “L!” as he finally shot deep inside him, staring into dark eyes through all of it. And there _were_ apologies there if L looked, for being who he was and unable to change it. For not wanting to.  
  
L opened his mouth to voice his thoughts aloud, only to have Light kiss him, and he was quite happy to let Light devour his mouth, plunging his tongue in and retreating, biting and licking at his lips until L felt the sharp sting of teeth drawing blood. And truthfully? He wasn’t even mad, because hearing Light say his _real_ name during sex sent a tidal wave of desire through him, a nearly electric heat blooming in his chest and spreading through his entire body, writhing in Light’s lap and shooting through his fingers with a trembling, drawn out cry of ‘ _Light!_ ’ He pressed his forehead to Light’s as he felt the teen’s own release shooting hot inside of him at nearly the same time, and filling him with... satisfaction, and exhilaration, and another warm and tremulous feeling he’d never experienced before. His eyes fell half shut through the intense waves of pleasure, but he made himself keep them open, fingers tightening in Light’s hair as he held the teen’s gaze through the end of it, breathing heavily when they finally stilled. _Is sex always going to be this intense with him?_ L wondered to himself, panting and smiling at Light as he struggled to form a coherent sentence. _Maybe words are overrated anyway._ After a moment, he decided to forgo words and instead licked his lips before pressing a gentle kiss to Light’s mouth, letting his fingers stroke the teen’s scalp.

 

Light slowly released his tight grip on L’s body, breath coming so fast he was nearly hyperventilating. He couldn’t bear to pull out yet, enjoying the closeness as L kissed him gently. Eyes finally closing, his body felt boneless and relaxed. L’s soothing fingers in his hair, his soft lips as they came down together from the intense place they’d been, created together. Light’s fluttering heartbeat started to slow, and he smiled dreamily while tracing his fingertips on L’s back.

 

He pulled back finally to look up at him, grinning and giggling softly. “Holy shit.” _Maybe L really will kill me, just not the way he thought. Kira brought down by overly vigorous sex._ “Sorry about your lip. I didn’t mean to.” Light squinted at it now, but it wasn’t too bad, just a nip of broken skin. A long exhale, “You really drive me crazy.” He’d really lost it when L had _begged_ to come, just the thought of that sent an aftershock through him.

 

Light’s soft curse made L giggle as well, and he nuzzled his nose against Light’s cheek for a moment before murmuring, “Hopefully I drive you crazy in a _good_ way?” He pressed another soft kiss to Light’s mouth, and brought his hands back up to frame the teen’s face, fingers idly stroking as L pulled back to smile. “Don’t apologize. It doesn’t hurt. I mean... it stings a little, but I’m not bothered.” Letting his hands slide down to press against Light’s chest, he watched his face with a tiny, contented smile, thrilled when Light’s smile reflected the same emotion. “Thank you,” L said softly, after a long moment. “For... giving me another chance after the... well. After… everything I did.”

 

Light hummed happily, leaning his head back to just smile up in contentment. “Don’t beat yourself up anymore. It’s water under the bridge now.” He had such a rush of warm feelings towards L now, and while he’d never believed in soul mates (thinking that was soap opera drivel like Sayu would moon over), he wondered if there wasn’t some truth to it after all. He brushed the sweaty hair from L’s eyes, placing a lingering kiss on his jaw. Quietly, “I can’t wait until I’m on the team and we can be like this whenever we want. I don’t even care about the stupid entrance exam anymore. I’ll do it, because I should, but college isn’t where I want to be.” His hands moved up L’s arms to cup his face, “The only place I feel like I wouldn’t be wasting my time is with you.”

 

L’s breath hitched when Light reached up to brush his hair back, and he let it out slowly at that sweet kiss, grinning again. “Well. We can be like this when we’re alone, I think your father might murder me if he knew we were having sex. But we’ll have more opportunities to be together. You should still take the exams, though. I was still planning to. If _nothing_ else, it will give us an excuse to meet, officially.”

 

Light sighed and nodded when L said that sneaking around was still for the best for now. It was true, he just didn’t like it. “I know. All he could do is yell at _you_ , but my life would become hell.” In his daydreams, one day he could come out to his family and they would be supportive. He thought it _could_ be that way under the right circumstances, but his father finding out too soon or in the _wrong_ way could ruin all chance of that. He brightened when L said he was planning on taking the To-Oh exams. “I’ll take the exams of course. Especially if I’ll see you there. College might be a bearable experience then.”

 

L smiled at that. He would take the exams, but he still hadn’t decided whether or not to actually _go_ to classes. “Well... since you didn’t ask, I _did_ delete the footage of your little displays.” Pausing, he began giggling. “And by delete I mean moved the footage to a secure hard drive only _I_ have access to. You don’t have to worry about anyone but me ever seeing it.”

  
Light laughed hard when L told him he’d deleted the ‘outtakes’ of his surveillance but kept them on a secure hard drive. “Mmm, I hope you’ll let me watch them sometime with you. Maybe you can show me what you did.” His hand moved down to squeeze L’s ass playfully, liking that idea quite a lot. “Or we can watch it while I fuck you, that’d be pretty hot.” He had to admit it was quite a relief that L had deleted those episodes, they hadn’t been meant for any eyes other than L’s and certainly could have embarrassed the hell out of him. “Thanks for deleting them though. Could have been quite...problematic.”

 

 _How did I KNOW telling him that would appeal to his vanity?_ L could feel his face flushing at Light’s laughter, but he only laughed as well, squirming when Light squeezed his ass. “You’re welcome. I think we can discuss what we _do_ with that footage later. I want to try and make the most of our time together tonight.” He trailed off and laid his head down against Light’s shoulder, sighing out contentedly and stroking his fingers gently along Light’s skin. The smile that had been playing along his lips faded away at the thought of Light’s family potentially being disapproving of him. Though he _did_ understand why that might end up being the case. _After all, Soichiro knows I have suspicions about Light being Kira. He definitely wouldn’t approve until I say Light is off the hook._

  
Before they could say anything else, the window between the front and back seat slid down partially and Aiber’s mildly sarcastic voice drifted out to them over the pounding beat of -- _Is that... Why is he listening to ‘Get Low’, of all things?!_

 

“Are you two planning on _going_ anywhere, or are you just going to bone in the back again?”

 

Light’s whole body stiffened as he heard the window roll down and call out something sarcastic. He gasped softly and buried his burning face in L’s chest, whispering, “Oh fuck…” He started giggling quietly, only imagining how this must look from the driver’s angle with L straddling his lap and his cock still inside him.

 

L just shook his head, trying hard not to laugh and ignoring how much he was blushing as he flippantly asked, “Lil Jon? _Really_ , Aiber, is this song strictly necessary? Of all the trashy crap you could have put on…” Of course, there was _no_ way that L would admit that he listened to this song enough to have recognized it from the beat alone, but maybe neither Aiber or Light would call him out on that. _Did he choose this song to be funny?_

 

Aiber turned slightly to give them a shit-eating grin, going on imperiously, “ Are you kidding me? The song you so rudely scoff at is nothing but postmodernist poetry. Lil Jon really expressed the depth of his emotion at seeing asses dropped and then backed up. And ‘to the windows, to the wall’ is quite profound, as we sometimes block ourselves off with a wall of doubt.” He snorted at the dumbfounded side-eye L gave him, rolling his eyes in the rearview mirror, “I see that his lyrical mastery is lost on you. So anyway. Boning or driving?”

 

 _So L’s people wax philosophic about nasty rap songs?_ Light choked on his giggles, whispering again, “L...I hope you trust that guy, oh my god….make him go away.” He was about to lose it, looking at L in pleading mirth. “Maybe we could go grab a snack or coffee somewhere.” Adding in quickly with a snort, “And then more boning.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aiber’s commentary on ‘Get Low’ was inspired by a YouTube comment on the song’s music video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYH7_GzP4Tg). 😂


	16. Everything You Suspected of Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> L and Light were planning to just get a snack and flirt some more, but someone else unexpectedly decides to make a surprise appearance.

“Find us a coffee shop,” L called to Aiber, chuckling and stroking Light’s hair fondly. He pressed a kiss to Light’s cheek and murmured with a laugh, “Don't worry, he can be trusted, even if his music taste is questionable. He won’t give away our little _secrets_.” Light looked up at him, and his amused suggestion made L laugh more. “Okay, coffee first, and then I plan to hold you to that. I suppose that means I need to get off of you, huh?”

 

Light blew a relieved sigh as the window slid back up, but a blush still heated his cheeks as the car started to move. L certainly seemed comfortable enough with this person but it was an odd feeling to just trust that he was right and not to worry. He looked around the limo, finding a cabinet that opened to reveal snacks, water, and thankfully, tissues. “Bingo. Alright, hold still or else there’s going to be...well, just hold still.” Light giggled as he grabbed a wad of tissues and pulled out slowly, cleaning them both up best he could. The whole car smelled like sex now, not that Light minded. He gently shifted L out of his lap, feeling a pleasant burn in his leg muscles from the exertion. “Want some water? I’m feeling a little, uh...dehydrated.” He took a bottle of water, tapping L on the nose playfully with a smile. “Your fault.”

 

“I certainly hope you don’t expect me to _apologize_ for dehydrating you,” L said, grinning a little as he stretched lithely across the seat, watching Light. “Especially considering how dehydrated I got after you were _fucking my mouth_ on Friday night.” The grin turned into a full blown smirk, and he reluctantly sat up, reaching over for another bottle of water. He was going to have no end of fun bringing up his favourite things to Light, it seemed.

 

Light squeezed L’s shoulders and giggled when he brought up what they’d done on Friday night, whispering in his ear, “Is that an invitation to dehydrate you some more like that later?” He’d enjoyed the hell out of that, and now that mental image would be stuck in his mind when he had to be out in public. He kissed L on the cheek, “Tease.”

 

Being told he was a tease just made L laugh smugly, face flushing at Light’s suggestion. _Yes, actually, I would like that very much._ It made him feel warm inside that they were already so comfortable with each other that they could just tease each other and be silly, and it wasn’t overly _awkward_. Almost everyone else he had interacted with (of which that number was very limited) seemed to get annoyed with him the longer they were around him, but not Light. Not that they hadn’t already had issues, but as far as L was concerned, that was completely on… well, maybe not _just_ on him. But largely his fault. _I know he told me not beat myself up about it, but… I still feel bad about it._ He quickly drained the bottle of water, tossing it towards the other seat and cheering silently when it didn’t just bounce off.

 

Light downed the water, then stretched his arms above his head and reached for their clothes. He handed L’s to him, “I much prefer you naked, but I suppose the cafe wouldn’t be so understanding.” He checked his watch as he pulled his clothes back on. It had only been an hour and they still had time, but it just didn’t feel like enough. _Just enjoy what you have._ “Maybe this place will actually have some chocolate mousse, I could really go for some right now.”

 

“Mm, they probably won’t have anything so decadent as Mont Blanc, will they? I’ve always liked that dessert. Although… now I have a new _appreciation_ for it,” L said with a giggle, pulling his jeans on reluctantly.

 

Dressed, Light slid close to L again on the seat, draping an arm around him just to be close. “I’m going to have to be a little more careful if we stay on this side of town since people might recognize me here.”

 

Curling his toes into the seat, L stretched again and tugged his shirt on over his head, settling in against Light contentedly and inwardly thrilling when the teen draped his arm around him. “So… I’m not allowed to hold your hand, or do this?” He laid his head down on Light’s shoulder and turned it until he could press a soft kiss to the teen’s neck to demonstrate.

 

The thought of being affectionate in public made Light a little anxious because unlike Shinjuku during the day, this residential area at night was quiet and his face was well-known from growing up here his whole life. Not only that, but Misa lived in the next neighborhood over and she was the last person he wanted to see tonight. Especially given the obvious bite mark he suddenly noticed in his reflection in the mirrored glassed between them and Aiber. _I need to tell L about her. I was waiting until we were face to face again._ “Oh…” He turned his neck to get a better look, but there was no hiding it in the clothes he was wearing now. “As much as I love it when you mark me up..” Light raised a brow with a grin, “..and I DO love it, we need to be a little careful of places that would be hard to explain to my family.”

 

L sighed in mock disappointment. “You’re fine with me walking around with people staring at the bruises around my neck, but I’m not allowed to leave bite marks? That seems a tad unfair, but I suppose I can understand it. Maybe you should start wearing scarves.” He glanced up and smiled a little, taking in the way Light looked right then and mentally adding some sort of stylish scarf into the mix. “You’d look quite… metropolitan like that. Very stylish. Not that you don’t look great _already_ , tonight.” _I bet you wore that just to take my breath away, didn’t you._

 

Light really should have brought a scarf and made a mental note to wear one tomorrow. Hopefully his family would all be asleep when he got home anyway, so he’d be in the clear if he could cover it tomorrow. “I’m not really worried about the bite. And yes, I look great in a scarf.” Light smiled a little smugly. “If you noticed, I managed to keep my hands from around your neck tonight, didn’t want to make it worse. I can always remedy that later though if you were disappointed.”

 

 _Oh.. that would be nice, too._ Despite the pleasant shiver that went through him, L said, “Just a reminder, we don’t have as much time as you seem to think, so we probably won’t be able to do everything we want to do tonight. Quit suggesting things right now… unless your goal is to drive me crazy. In which case, _please_ feel free to continue.”

 

The limo came to a stop in front of a cafe Light knew well and had gone to study in a few times. He turned to give L one last real kiss before they had to get out, just soft and comfortable. _We’re starting to feel like real lovers, not just people hooking up because of raw attraction._ But wasn’t it too soon for him to feel that way? He couldn’t deny a kind of care now, and it conflicted sharply with the fearsome desire he’d had before to defeat and even kill L. It was very confusing but he didn’t want to grapple with that now. He just wanted to enjoy himself.

 

L blinked, looking out the window. “Well, that didn’t take long. Come on, Light.” He opened up the door and hopped out, shrugging into his coat before going to the front door and tapping on the window. “Would you like anything, Aiber?”

 

“Nah. Have fun. I’ll park, you get your boy-toy something nice,” Aiber said, laughing.  
  
L was silent for a moment before saying quietly, “Please do _not_ call him that.” Without another word, he went to join Light.

 

Light went to stand on the sidewalk as L chatted with the driver. He pretended like he wasn’t listening, checking his phone for messages while he waited. _Aiber._ The man’s words about Light being a ‘boy toy’ grated him, but his heart felt light and he couldn’t help but smile when L told the man not to call Light that. _Thank you._

 

He stuck his phone back in his pocket as they walked inside, a gentle tinkling of chimes announcing their presence to the cafe staff. It was nearly dead inside except for a couple students whose noses were buried in books or laptops. Light moved to the ordering counter, scanning the menu behind the barista. _I better call him Ryuzaki in public._ “Hmmm, no Mont Blanc, but they do have amaretto cheesecake, that sounds pretty good.” His eyes widened though when he saw his heart’s desire. _Yes!_ To the waitress, “I’ll have the chocolate mousse and a cinnamon latte, please.” Turning to L, “What would you like, Ryuzaki?”

 

As they walked into the cafe, L shoved his hands in his pockets, glancing up at Light. He tried to suppress his grin, but it was a difficult task, and he finally just gave it up as a lost cause when they got up to the counter. Bringing his fingers up to his mouth, L chewed at a hangnail, taking in Light’s suggestions as he scanned the menu. Amaretto cheesecake sounded _delicious_ , but he didn’t feel like anything heavy tonight. _Ooh, they have a strawberry ice cream cake cup._ “Um… I think I’ll have the gingerbread mocha and the strawberry ice cream cake.” His gaze slid to Light’s and he smiled as he reached for his wallet. “Too bad it’s not strawberry shortcake. Want to grab a table?”

 

Light flushed a little at the way L was fiddling with his mouth, thinking _dammit, he tells ME to stop suggesting things but HE’S the one driving me crazy with his little oral fixation._ He cast L a look but just nodded and meandered over to one of the many empty tables in the cafe, heading straight for the back. _Probably best I’m not facing the door, even if it means I can’t keep an eye on anyone coming in._ He slid into the booth, shifting to grab his phone when it buzzed in his pocket. A quiet hiss, “Shit.” It was Misa _again_ , and she was checking up on him for the hundredth time today. He scrolled through the kawaii selfies that suddenly flooded his phone, typing back hurriedly, **_“_ ** **I’m studying, Misa, you know the exam is on Friday.”**

 

Misa sent back a pouting reply peppered with more heart emojis than should be used in a lifetime. “ **Awww sweetie <3 <3 I just miss my wubby Light so much *sob* <3 <3, can’t you take a quick break (pweeeeeease)??? Misa Misa needs a smoochie woochie. <3 <3”**

 

Light grimaced down at the phone, cringing internally. “ **Sorry Misa. Can’t let my family down. Talk later.”** He snapped his phone shut and turned the ringer off so he wouldn’t be disturbed anymore. He closed his eyes and breathed a few times to try and wipe the irritated expression off his face before L came over with their drinks. It was gone in an instant when he finally did see L sliding into the booth, the waitress just behind bringing over the tray of what they’d ordered. His eyes lit up at the chocolate mousse, it looked even better than he’d hoped. “Wow, this looks amazing. So does yours.” His eyes flicked to the strawberry ice cream concoction L had ordered, which was smothered in toppings including….a cherry.

 

Light waited for the waitress to leave, before leaning forward on his elbow with a little smirk. “Hmm. A _cherry_. Somebody once told me they could tie the stem into a knot with their tongue.” He pulled his drink closer, blowing on it before taking a little sip. “Now that’s something I’d really like to see.”

 

L was just about to dig into his dessert when Light spoke in a low voice. He paused with the spoon halfway to his mouth, and his gaze flickered up to Light’s before his lips curled up in a smile. “ _Is_ it, now?” He stuffed the spoon into his mouth, letting his eyes fall half shut as he savoured the mouthful. _Delicious._ Swallowing, he looked up again, bringing his arms around his knees as he leaned forward over the table, smiling wider now. “Sorry, Light, you’ll just have to wait. I _always_ save the cherry for last.” He scooped up another delicate spoonful, and added, “They really shouldn’t be so stingy with them, honestly.” He fell silent as he attacked his dessert with enthusiasm. _Sex makes me very hungry, apparently._ Once the edge was off, L set his spoon down and picked up his mocha, taking a tentative sip and smiling. _Perfect temperature._

 

Light pouted when L said he’d have to wait to see the cherry trick, sighing heavily as if very put out about waiting even five minutes. Joking, “Well, with the way you’re attacking that sundae, I doubt I’ll have to wait very long.” Still, Light could barely tear his eyes away from L’s mouth long enough to focus on his own treat, finally remembering to take a bite. He hummed with the decadent taste, even more appreciated since his denial last Friday. “I don’t know what it is, but I’ve always had a weakness for chocolate. You can have all the heavy cakes and pies, just give me some chocolate mousse and I’m a happy man.” He beamed at L, because he really was feeling like a very happy man right now.

 

That teasing comment from Light made L snort, and he stuck his tongue out at him before defiantly stuffing a _huge_ spoonful into his mouth. He didn’t miss the way Light seemed hyper focused on his mouth, and the scrutiny made him feel warm and tingly all over. _Even if you aren’t doing that specifically to make me feel good, you sure do know how to make a guy feel special, Light._ Speaking through the last of his mouthful, L declared, “Actually, despite my fondness for desserts, pies are not really my thing. But I will keep that in mind for the future. I’ll keep your dessert options… _light_.” He smirked, taking another drink of his mocha, pretending innocence.

 

Light broke into a grin at L’s bad pun, making him sputter into his coffee and set it aside. “I’m pretty easy to please, as long as you promise never to run around and dessert me.” _Oh god these are never going to end._

 

It was unfortunate that L was taking a drink when Light made that pun, because he _actually_ choked a little, coughing and laughing at the same time before laying his head down on the table. “I hate that you just Rick-rolled me with a _dessert pun_ , you _dick_ ,” he wheezed, once he finally managed to clear his throat. _That was a good one._ Looking back up, he shook his head, mouthing ‘ _dessert you_ ’ with a stupid grin on his face. Propping his chin in his hands, he asked, “So, just out of curiosity… all of those musical puns? Where did _that_ come from? You knew a _lot_ more than I expected, especially technical terms. Do you play an instrument?”

 

“Oh, the puns?” Light giggled remembering their playful battle. “Yes, I play piano and violin. My mother started me quite early on both since she used to be a musician.” In fact, she was so talented she’d walked away from a very promising classical musical career after she’d married Light’s father. That had made Light a little sad the first time he’d heard it, but Sachiko had insisted it was her own choice and one she’d never regretted. “She gets a lot of joy out of teaching me, and we play together sometimes when I can convince her to get her old violin out.” Light paused to take a few more bites of his mousse, humming a little of ‘Il trillo del diavolo’ as he smiled around his spoon. “And you, do you play anything?”

 

When Light started talking about his family, L sat up a little straighter, gaze sharpening on his face in interest. _That wasn’t in the profile on his mother. If she played violin, and she used to be a musician, maybe she made a name for herself. It would make sense, Light is exceptional, and his father is pretty exceptional. It would be remiss to dismiss the women in his family as being unremarkable._ He smiled when he recognized the classical piece Light was humming, and looked down. “Apparently, I’m not as multi-talented as you, musically. I only play piano. Started young, and I still play occasionally, when I have the time. I played recitals until I was eight, but I _hated_ the attention, so I just… stopped taking lessons one day.” _I kind of wish I hadn’t._ “Can I hear you play sometime?”

 

Light loved the idea of playing something for L and was pleased to hear that L played piano too. “I understand the anxiety of all those eyes on you, listening and watching to see if you mess up or manage to entertain them.” _Too well._ His smile faded slightly at that, because while the piano recitals had never really bothered him, the rest of his life had just been one long performance with so many eyes, not all of them kind. Music had felt to him a way to be free of it, even while playing for others he could tune them out and focus on the emotion of whatever the musical piece inspired.

 

L tilted his head as he listened to Light’s description, and found himself nodding thoughtfully. “Yes, I suppose that’s probably what it was. I…” Looking down, L hesitated only briefly before deciding to just tell him. “I think a large part of what made me give it up was the prospect of playing for the Queen. Only a few students from around the country were extended the invitation, and I was one of them. It was exhilarating… and it was _terrifying_. The other students were all older than me by at least five years, too.” He chanced a glance up at Light and smiled, a slightly bitter edge to it. “I might have made some rash emotional decisions when I was young.” _And I didn’t think I deserved it._

 

“It’s too bad you stopped taking lessons. If you ever wanted some from my mother, I know she’d be thrilled to put her skills to use again. She pretends like she’s rusty but she’s not.” _That would probably make her very happy actually._ “But of course, I’ll play something for you as long as you return the favor.” Light’s hand reached across the table briefly to brush over L’s fingers, “You have such beautiful hands for piano too.” Light blushed and pulled his hand back, picking up his coffee to hide it. It was a bad idea to touch him like that in public, but it was difficult not to.

 

L laughed softly and murmured, “I don’t… I think that’s one of the few things I regret. But… maybe not. I like the classical music, but I would honestly have preferred to create something of my own if I was going to continue it, and that isn’t what my lessons were _giving_ me, so… I don’t know, it made sense when I was eight. I don’t know if your mother would be able to help me with _that_. Maybe enough to refresh me on the basics, it’s been about two years since I was last able to get behind a piano.”

 

L’s face was more than a little flushed at those admissions, and he half wanted to tell Light that he actually _had_ started composing a couple pieces a few years ago, but everything was unfinished. He sincerely hoped Light wouldn’t make fun of him for his silly explanations. It certainly seemed like the teen wasn’t phased by it, if that sweet little compliment was any indication, and L smiled again, heart fluttering in his chest over that brief brush of fingers over his, swallowing hard and distracted from answering by the door chimes.

 

The chime in the door jingled again, but Light was already playing piano duets in his mind with L, about to suggest that maybe they play something together when…. “LIGHT!!!” A loud and excited squeal echoed through the quiet cafe, making everyone startle and look towards the door.

 

Light went straight as a board, heart hammering as he knew that voice could only belong to one person. _No, no no no no NO!! Please no, don’t ruin this, not when we just made up again! I was working up to telling him, explaining._ His hand trembled as he set his cup down defeatedly, knowing that he’d already been spotted and couldn’t hide from this. He gave L a look like, _I’m so sorry for what’s about to happen,_ then turned his head to give Misa a weak smile. “Oh, hello Misa.”

 

 _Is that…?_ L looked up, wide eyed, to the door, mouth slowly falling open in shock as _Misa Amane_ , of all people, rushed over to them. _What… the.. What is HAPPENING?_

 

Misa clapped her hands excitedly, rushing over immediately to their table and flinging her arms around Light but thankfully holding off from kissing him. “Light!! I can’t believe I’m running into you like this! I thought you were at the library!” She giggled and slid into the booth beside Light without waiting for any invitation, sidling as close to him as possible. Babbling on hurriedly, “Why I was just coming home from a long shoot and just needed a little perk. BUT SEEING YOU HAS PERKED ME UP SO MUCH MORE!” She sighed and laid her head on his shoulder, looking like the last person on Earth that needed to be even perkier.

 

It was a _perplexingly_ surreal experience to watch one of his favourite Japanese pop artists flinging her arms around Light and start babbling up a storm, and if it wasn’t for the fact that L couldn’t _breathe_ , he might have said something colossally stupid. _How does he KNOW her? Why is she acting like they’re a couple?_ That last thought actually gave him pause, and L finally unfroze, sitting back and bringing his thumb to his mouth, biting anxiously as his gaze flitted back and forth between them, listening intently and trying not to stare too raptly at her.

 

Misa’s eyes finally took in the odd person staring at her from across the table, someone who looked very unlike any friend of Light’s _she’d_ ever seen before. Whispering to a mortified Light even as her eyes darted to L, “Light, who’s this guy? Some study partner? He’s kind of creeping me out.”

 

Light closed his eyes and felt like he wanted to sink through the floor. _Misa, if you’ve just managed to ruin what I have with him, I swear I’ll find a way to kill you Rem or no._

 

 _Creeping her out? Gee, thanks._ “You’re… Misa Misa,” L finally said, tugging his thumb away from his mouth and smiling brightly, unable to contain a _little_ bit of excitement at meeting an artist he liked, even if she _had_ just said something rude about him. “I _loved_ your last single.” _Now why are you all over Light?_

 

Misa brightened when it was clear L recognized her and even complimented her music. “Oooooh! A fan!” She gave L a gracious smile, instantly set at ease as to why he was so weirdly staring. He must just be shocked to see her of course! She held up a small hand tipped with heaps of gaudy goth nail art, “Before you ask, no you _can’t_ have an autograph. I’ve been signing them all day and if do one more I think I’ll scream.” She slouched a little against Light, her hand going to his and holding it tightly.

 

Light coughed quietly, gently extricating his hand from hers and making busy with drinking and nibbling so she couldn’t do that again. Reluctantly, “Misa, this is Ryuzaki. He’s...also taking the To-Oh exam on Friday so we were discussing study strategies.” He looked up at L over his cup, hoping he’d roll with the excuse. But L was just staring at Misa goggle-eyed. He frowned at that, but was used to her fans being rather starstruck so it was understandable that even L would be a fan. He took the napkin from under his teacup, sliding it over to Misa as he took the opportunity to edge away gracefully. With faux sweetness, “Come on, Misa, one more autograph won’t kill you.” _But I will if you embarrass me in front of him._ His eyebrow raised as he finally caught L’s eye. A little deliberately, “Surely you wouldn’t want to disappoint a fan.”

 

Misa giggled, squeezing Light tightly and closing the space he managed to insert between them. “Awwww, you’re always so thoughtful, Light! It’s just one of the many reasons I love you SO MUCH!” She grabbed the napkin and the pen Light was now offering, deadpan, and signed her name with a flourish of smileys and hearts. Above it she wrote, ‘To Ryuzaki! Thanks for being a fan!’ She smiled up at Light, pressing her lipsticked lips to the napkin with another giggle. “Now don’t get jealous, Light.” It was clear she was hoping he _would_ get jealous, but he only turned away and shrugged. Misa rolled her eyes and handed the napkin to L. “Here you go!”

 

 _I… didn’t ask for an autograph,_ L thought, a little confused by the conversation the two were having in front of him. It was somewhat amusing, to be sure, but the lack of attention paid to him was giving him time to listen and to think… and _also_ was serving to make him suspicious of what was going on. _Misa NEVER struck me as the type who would be interested in a studious young man like you, regardless of how gorgeous you are. How would they have even MET?_ He glanced at Light consideringly when Light made that deliberate comment about him being a fan, and frowned slightly. That fact seemed to be a sore point for Light, though he wasn’t entirely sure what had set off the alarm bells in his head. Maybe it was the eyebrow. 

  
His gaze whipped back to Misa when she started professing her love for Light, and he had to work to keep his expression from crumpling into a scowl. He barely glanced at the napkin when Misa handed it to him, but smiled again, if less brightly than before, putting on an excited voice and saying, “Thank you, Misa Misa! Are you two… um… together?” L very pointedly did not look at Light when he asked that, not wanting to give anything away, assuming now that his role here was to be the starstruck fan. He was _also_ going to assume that, _if_ the two were together, Misa was just cover for Light being gay, because he had shown _remarkably_ little interest in the pretty pop star.

 

Light stared into his coffee cup, nearly empty, when L asked _that_ question. _Well, here it comes._ At least it would be out in the open now, that part would be anyway. He was also incredibly anxious because of L’s shift in demeanor, the small little tells on his face and with his body language indicating he was shifting back to investigator mode. Misa hadn’t commented on Ryuzaki’s name, probably because she’d been primarily staring up at Light with a lovestruck expression versus paying attention to ‘Ryuzaki.’ But it would be very bad if she betrayed her ability to see the true names of people, even if he was _insanely_ curious as to what L’s was. It wasn’t like he could ask her right now anyway. The best case scenario would be she’d notice and be tactful enough to shut up about it until later. Sadly, Misa had a terrible memory with names (which was unfortunate given her primary use to him), so he wasn’t too hopeful.

 

Misa grabbed onto Light’s arm, nuzzling her face against his sleeve. “Of course we’re together, silly! Light is my one true love, and I’d do ANYTHING for him.” She switched to babytalking Light, “Wouldn’t I wubbykins? And you wub your widdle Misa so much.” She tried to lean up and kiss him but he broke into a coughing fit again and she paused, looking into his empty coffee. “Awww, is your throat dry, you’re not getting sick are you?!” She starting babbling again, going on about too much studying being bad for him, how she’d make him her famous chicken soup, or maybe just bribe To-Oh so he wouldn’t have to take the test at all…

 

Light took a deep breath, giving her a perfunctory pat on the arm to try to stop the onslaught. “Misa, that’s...all very thoughtful of you but unnecessary. In fact, I really need to get back to studying so--”

 

“LIGHT!!!” Misa pulled back slightly with a horrified look on her face, and her gaze was fixed directly on the reddish-purple bite mark on his neck. She gasped low, trembling as her jaw worked around and her eyes narrowed. “What. Is. THAT!” She jammed her pointy nail right at Light’s neck, making him pull back.

 

“Ow!! Misa, it’s not what you--”

 

But Misa was a tiny ball of blonde fury now, leaping up from the booth uncaring if she was making a scene. “WHO IS SHE?!!”

 

From the moment the words “ _Of course we’re together!_ ” left Misa’s mouth, L knew this exchange was going to go rapidly downhill. If only because she was so clearly deluded by her love for Light. He just... hadn’t expected to witness such a truly _frightening_ episode. He’d witnessed things like this before, but usually only after the fact on playback for cases, or in surveillance situations where he could only send help and hope to break it up in time, but actually being there, in person, for something like this... Now he understood why so many people just didn’t _help_ in horrible situations, because he was frozen like a deer in the headlights of an oncoming vehicle, hands clutching tightly to his shins and eyes wide as saucers, trying to make himself as unobtrusive as possible so as not to attract her attention.

 

Light’s eyes were wide with actual fear, although he sat perfectly still and composed. Because Misa had threatened at their very first meeting to kill anyone he even went on a date with, let alone touched him in ways that _she_ wasn’t even allowed to do. His eyes darted from her clenched fists to her stamping foot, “Misa, honey...just sit back down and lower your--”

 

“I WILL NOT!” Misa leaned over the table, slamming one hand down on it and rattling all the dishes. She spoke in a low hiss, “Don’t forget what I said before, you didn’t forGET did you, Light?” Her eyes seemed to flash red in her fury, all of Light’s soothing words having no effect against the physical evidence of his unfaithfulness.

 

Light stared back, gaze just as steely. “I didn’t forget.” _Shut up Misa!!_ He stood up, needing to get out of here right away, but Misa pushed him back down to the booth. “What are you doing? I’m leaving!”

 

Misa’s lip trembled, and she burst into a bawl. “Liiiiiiiight…..just tell me who she is…..”

 

Light gave L a look of apology, feeling awful that he was having to witness all of this. Back to Misa, he tried to smile, taking her hand gently. “Misa, we’ll talk about it later. I swear on my _life_ there’s no other woman.”

 

“Liar!” Misa slapped him across the face, then turned to Ryuzaki, grabbing up the napkin she’d signed and ripping it up. She threw the pieces at Light and turned on her heel, stomping out of the cafe, leaving Light with a look of shock holding his stinging face.

 

L’s gaze followed Misa’s path out of the building, and he watched as she stomped away past the window before saying in a miniscule voice, “I’m… uh. I don’t… _Shit._ Are you okay, Light?” He turned his wide gaze to Light, standing up quickly and hovering anxiously at the end of the table. He was going to have to wait until later to pick over everything, because right now, his heart was still hammering like a jackhammer, and Light looked like a wreck. _If you know what to look for, anyway._

 

 _Oh no._ Light’s hand slid down to drop in his lap, and he felt the gaze of everyone in the cafe, L included. His brown eyes lifted to meet L’s and he whispered, “I have to go. I have to go home now.” He swallowed hard, grabbing his coat and pulling it on as he rushed for the door, unable to meet the shocked eyes of the customers or staff. He pushed the door open into the cold night air, feeling like he was on the edge of tears. Not just due to the colossal embarrassment that just happened in front of everyone, but his now deep regret that any time he would have left with L was ruined. And now Misa was angry, and who knows what she’d do or how he’d placate her now. He walked a little ways down from the cafe, stopping to slump against the wall of a closed store.

 

L didn’t respond as Light fled the cafe, following him in silence and catching up outside. Not only was he not sure what to say, but he wasn’t sure if Light wanted to talk about it - no, it was best to let Light be the one to bring it up, if he was going to. When Light stopped, L went to slump down beside him, hands shoved in his pockets as he watched the teen.

 

Light’s face was still burning from where Misa hit him, the frigid night air making it prickle. Quietly, “I’m very sorry. Sorry you had to see that and...for not telling you sooner about her. I was going to explain to you tonight, I was just waiting until later so…” He sighed sadly, “...so it didn’t ruin the time we could have together.” His hand brushed over his eyes, wanting somehow to clear all this mess away. _Can’t I have one good thing, just one, without it being ruined?_ “She showed up at my house one day. Threatened me, if I didn’t become her boyfriend.” He swallowed hard, looking around for the limo and Aiber but not seeing it right away. “And she’s made threats to kill anyone else I saw romantically.” He gave L a meaningful look, and Light so badly wished to tell him the whole truth, all of it. But right now he wasn’t sure whether L even wanted to see him ever again, maybe...his throat tightened and he couldn’t go down that line of thinking now, what kind of trouble he’d be in if L became angry with him now. _After what I’ve said to him._

 

L listened to Light’s quiet words with a confused frown. It didn’t make sense to him. _You should have told me right away_ , he found himself thinking, his thoughts reproachful as Light explained, and then felt ashamed of himself for it. When, _exactly_ , would have been a good time to bring it up, especially when they had both been so _preoccupied_ with each other? Before he’d invited Light into the car? Before they had gotten naked? Before they’d gotten to the little cafe? _No, there was no good time to say, ‘hey, by the way, watch out for my volatile fake girlfriend’. It’s the same reason I put off telling him who I am, not that he really needed the confirmation._ Still, there _had_ to be a good explanation for the whole situation.

 

Light felt scared and trapped, ashamed, and turned to softly hug L in the sidewalk before pulling away again abruptly. _I’m not allowed._ The street was deserted but he was paranoid now, what if Rem was watching?!

 

“Light…” Sighing a little when Light hugged him and then almost immediately pulled away, L reached out to grip Light’s arms lightly. “I’m the one who should apologize. I should have… done _something_. And instead I sat there like a bump on a log. This is the type of thing I’m supposed to help _prevent_. Why in the world are you apologizing for _her_ ruining the night?” _Is it ruined?_ He paused and said softly, “Is there a reason you haven’t told anyone else about her threats, until now?” _What hold does she have on you, Light?_ “Because it seems odd that a pop idol would show such interest in you that she would threaten you and anyone you might have an interest in. That is _definitely_ grounds for charges to be laid, and after that little display, I’m an eyewitness to some kind of abuse going on. And forgive me for being presumptuous, but I _don’t_ think you have any affection for her. Why haven’t you done anything about her behavior?” God, he hoped that didn’t come out accusingly. Tugging his phone from his pocket, L quickly sent off a text to Aiber to come around to the front of the cafe, and then shoved it back in his pocket.

  
  
“I shouldn’t have…” L sighed and looked down at the sidewalk. “I’m sorry I asked her about… I feel like what resulted was my fault for prodding her.” _Well, one thing’s for sure, I am truly well and over that little crush I once had on Misa Amane. There’s something deeply wrong with her._

 

All of L’s questions were very reasonable and understandable, Light just didn’t know how to answer them without lying or twisting things around. “You don’t have anything to apologize for, and there’s nothing you could have done to have stopped it. Probably better you didn’t.” He tried to smile weakly, to show L he really had nothing to be sorry about. “When she gets like that, it’s best to just let her blow off steam. She’ll be over it by tomorrow.” Light hoped that was true, it had been in the past but he’d never seen her _that_ mad before. “She did something similar when somebody hit on me in front of her at a club, if she didn’t have a crack PR team she’d probably be in jail by now.” But that couldn’t happen either, because Rem had told him in no uncertain terms that Misa’s happiness was all that mattered to her, even over her own life. If Misa got in trouble because of Kira or even just because of something normal with Light, Rem might...he shook the thought away, unable to dwell on it.

 

Light ran a hand through his hair, wishing he knew the right words like he usually did. _I’m just tired of lying._ “Anyway, I _am_ doing something about it. It...just takes a little time.”

 

There really wasn’t much L could say to the way Light was clearly trying to make him feel better about his inaction, so L just sighed, murmuring out, “I hope you’re right. That was terrifying.” The comment about Misa’s PR team caught his interest, and L looked away, wondering if there perhaps wasn’t something he could do after all. _Like maybe have her team moved elsewhere. That is unacceptable behavior._ The irony of his thoughts not exactly matching his own recent actions was not lost on him, but he refused to acknowledge it, pushing the comparison to the side as he focused on the current problem.

 

Aiber rolled up with the limo, and Light was relieved to get out of the street and have a more private place to talk. He hurried into the car, finally feeling like he could _breathe_ now he was alone with L.

 

“Aiber, if you could take us a block past the address I gave you before, that would be appreciated,” L called towards the cab of the limo as soon as he had closed the door.

 

As soon as they were both inside and the door was closed, Light turned to embrace L, finishing the hug he hadn’t been able to outside. “Just hold me a moment, will you?” He laughed softly, at the irony of Kira needing comfort from L, but he _did_ need it. He slowly relaxed, melting into L’s arms. Mumbling into L’s shoulder, “I don’t have any affection for her. There’s nothing I want more than for her to leave me alone, forget she ever met me.” He pulled back, picking at his nails anxiously. “I can’t tell anyone because...she, has a very powerful friend.” His eyes flicked to L, “Someone untouchable.” _By Kira, or you._ “This friend is...like a guardian angel.” He laughed at how silly that sounded, but how was he supposed to explain this? Was it even safe for him to? L had promised not to trick him when they were together but he had said before that the case was his priority, and his personal feelings came second to that.

  
L exhaled loudly when Light hugged him again, _grateful_ to feel the teen bury himself in his arms. He didn’t say anything until Light spoke again, merely stroking his fingers into Light’s hair and resting his cheek on the top of the teen’s head until he pulled away. Light’s explanation was… Sighing, L said, “You realize that is highly unhelpful, correct?” _But if it’s true… there must be something else going on here. But... guardian angels? Sounds like another ridiculous notion like the Shinigami notes Kira left me. That’s the second time some sort of supernatural entity has been brought up, but Light hasn’t explicitly told me that he’s Kira. Why is he dancing around the truth like this, after everything he’s already said to me?_ L reached out to briefly stroke at Light’s cheek before murmuring softly, “I hope you know what you’re doing, Light. I don’t… I have a bad feeling about her. There’s something… deeply unhinged there.” _Potentially worse than what happened with B._ “And I _want_ to help you, truly. But I can’t if you won’t give me something to _work_ with.”

 

Light gave him a mournful look, feeling torn in opposite directions between two things that meant so much to him. Protecting his work as Kira, his dream of a better world, protecting _himself_. And then there was L, a man he was only just coming to know but already cared for, above just desiring him. Of course their chemistry was explosive but it was more than that, the promise of...or maybe just the opportunity to really be honest and truthful with _someone_ for the first time in his life. If anyone would understand the solitude, the ambition and drive, it would be L wouldn’t it? Even if they were technically enemies, they were engaging with the world on similar levels--namely, above the fray and molding it around them rather than letting the world change them. _He already knows. He has to._ Light tried to cycle through his mind all the various hints and clues and nearly bald confessions he’d made, and it all seemed like more than enough for L to have turned him in or locked him up. _If_ he were going to do that.

 

The crucial difference was that now L was truly in danger because of him. It would be easy enough to tell Misa and Rem that he no longer considered L a threat to Kira, and they would likely accept it as long as he was able to stay hidden and protect Misa. But there was _no_ way he could save L from Misa if their relationship were discovered. Light didn’t want to scare L more than necessary, but the girl in the club who’d hit on him? She had met with an unfortunate accident later that week. Misa’s threats weren’t empty, and neither were Rem’s.

 

Light’s silence stretched for so long that L feared for a moment that this was the end of whatever they had begun. _Please don’t shut me out NOW,_ he begged silently, hands clenched into fists in his lap as he stared at the teen, breathing shallowly to try and combat the tension. _Not after everything we’ve both said and done to get here._

 

Light’s gaze fell to the window separating them from Aiber, closed now that they were heading back to his house. “I do want your help.” _I hope you really mean that L. Because it will take a lot to help me._ He lowered his voice to a whisper, embracing L again as he spoke very quietly in his ear, “The one who is protecting Misa is a shinigami. That’s right...a reaper, and I...have one too.” He let that sink in a moment, wondering if L would think he was lying again.

 

L tensed up immediately as Light began to explain, that low voice in his ear sending an anticipatory shiver down his spine. _Shinigami… truly exist? I need to see this for myself._

 

“But Misa’s shinigami is different, it loves her. And when she came to my house she...knew who I was already.” _That I was Kira._ His fingers clenched in L’s jacket, pleading with him not to turn away, to believe his unbelievable words. “Her shinigami threatened to kill me if anything bad happened to Misa, or even if I made her unhappy. In exchange for pretending to be her boyfriend, Misa has the ability to see the true names of people just by looking at their faces. That was our deal.”

 

 _But Misa…  if Kira needs a name and a face to kill, and Light is giving me this freely… he truly IS Kira. So what does that make MISA if she only needs a FACE? A… second Kira?_ L tightened his hold on Light, hoping that Light would just _tell him._

 

Light paused a moment, feeling like all the air was sucked out of his lungs, unable to go on. L literally held his life in his hands now, and as terrified as he’d been in that cafe, it was nothing  compared to what he felt now. Breathless, “L….everything you suspected of me is true. And I won’t try to explain myself or convince you, I won’t ask you to _do_ anything.” _But, if you just did nothing, that would still be something._ “I’m telling you this now because you’re in danger, or could be, from her. But..” He shuddered, this was so hard, so _very_ hard to voice, even as a whisper. “I’m mostly telling you because I’m tired of lying, and I care about you and if there’s going to be anything between us, I need to tell you the truth.” They were just two words; two words that L already knew the truth behind and would only be said because some truths needed voicing. So easy to say in his mind but felt like ash as they formed on his tongue. He would speak them anyway, muffled into L’s clothes and eyes squeezed shut--

 

“I’m Kira.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Light was humming ‘[Il trillo del diavolo](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7rxl5KsPjs)’ (The Devil’s Sonata) by Tartini. The composer had a dream that he sold his soul to the devil, and in return heard a sonata so beautiful that when he woke up he wrote this down immediately.
> 
> For the curious, L mentions a brief crush on Misa; that was over LONG before he even met Light because she comes off as extremely vapid, and he is, of course, more attracted to intelligence than just a pretty face.
> 
> And hooo boy, bet no-one expected that confession yet! Circumstances forced Light’s hand. Wonder how L is going to react?


	17. Quid Pro Quo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> L reacts to Light’s revelations, but they need more time to talk. Light quickly comes up with a plan to get his freedom for the night, but L has to swallow his pride.

“ _I’m Kira._ ”

 

Those two words resounded in L’s head, and he let out a shuddering breath, burying his face in Light’s shoulder and clutching at his back as he listened intently to every word. His head was _reeling_ at the absurdity of the entire situation. He had _known_ he was right, but there was a difference between _knowing_ and _confirmation_ , and here was the confession he had dreamed of getting from the moment he had set foot onto Japanese soil, freely given. From a brilliant, trembling _teenager_ who he wanted nothing more than to protect. _To… work with?_ This was _not_ what he had expected from this case in the slightest. _It’s so much BETTER than I hoped for._

 

“ _Kira,_ ” he whispered, testing the name out on his tongue and unable to hide the elation in his voice. _I found you. No more secrets._ “Light…” There were _so_ many things he wanted to say, everything getting lost in his racing thoughts as he tried to get his breathing back under control, heartbeat fluttering rapidly. He pulled back, tearing up and smiling wide at Light, humbled by the _enormous_ amount of trust the teen had just placed in him. ‘ _Thank you for telling me._ ’ The words were on the tip of his tongue, but L’s words were sticking in his throat and he had to swallow hard past the overwhelming emotion. _Just say it, IDIOT._ The importance of this moment was not lost on him, and he knew he couldn’t fuck this up. So of course, what came out of his mouth when he finally managed to speak was a beaming, “Of _course_ you’re Kira.”

 

Light had tensed up waiting for L to say something, unable to breathe until he got some kind of reaction. He blinked, smiling shakily as he watched what looked to be...confirmation and yes, happiness register on L’s face. The tension finally broke with L’s statement, Light’s eyes watering in relief and the tears he’d held in spilling down his cheeks as he laughed to himself. _Of course he knew._ Smiling, he spoke softly, “Well, I thought it deserved saying out loud, just to you.”

 

 _Oh, thank GOD he understood what I meant,_ L thought, giggling sheepishly. For a moment there, he had wanted to just sink right through the seat at the absolute stupidity of his comment, but his social awkwardness seemed to have broken the tension. It made his heart stutter slightly to hear Light laughing after such an emotional evening. “I meant to say _thank_ you. For telling me,” L said softly, looking down for a moment before smiling back up at Light again. He breathed, “This is… a lot to take in. There are _so_ many things I want to say, to _know_ , I just… But if we’re going to continue this discussion, I might need to find us somewhere a little more _private_ to do so.” L’s gaze flickered to the cab and then back to Light with a meaningful nod. “Just us.” He leaned in and whispered into Light’s ear, “Which means you might need to find a way to extend your curfew, since we are rapidly approaching midnight. And...can I meet your shinigami? If that is at all possible, of course.” Pressing a kiss to Light’s ear, he pulled back again with a small, hopeful smile. “What do you say?”

 

Light head’s dropped limply to L’s shoulder and he sighed deeply in relief. _I made the right call to trust him._ He rubbed his wet eyes on L’s coat, lifting his head to nod at the suggestion they needed to go somewhere else. “Yeah, I don’t think I could go back tonight and leave things...like this.” His heart was racing with the excitement of everything being out in the open, of finally speaking _real_ truth to the other.  

 

It was sinking in slowly through his reeling emotions and all the domino-stacked walls Light had lived behind, that there really was someone he _could_ trust, unlikely as it was who that turned out to be. _What will it be like to explain all of this, right from the start? To have him meet Ryuk? To explain the secrets of the death note, this otherworldly thing, to someone whose life has been built on logic?_ He took L’s hand and held it to his cheek, just looking at him in gratitude. “Thank you.” It was all he could really muster to say right now, and they’d have all night if he had his way. Light turned to kiss it and put it back in L’s lap, reaching into his pocket to take out his phone. He sighed, worrying his lip between his teeth as he thought about what to say to his mother. _I guess there’s always Shinij, but damn he’s got to be getting sick of this after I used him last Friday. Worth a shot._ “I’ll see if I can get my friend to cover for me again. It might not work since it’s a school night and everything.”

 

The way Light clung to L and looked at him like that made him smile, and he sat back to watch as Light started moving the pieces around to get his freedom for the evening.

 

Light texted his friend quickly, **“Shinji, hey buddy, wonder if you could cover for me tonight? I’m so sorry, I’ll owe you BIG.”** Two times in a row? He was going to have to buy Shinji some video game or a smutty magazine to make it up to him.

 

Shinji replied quickly, **“Um...Misa’s been texting me too Light. I covered for ya but she said you weren’t with her on Friday. What’s this about?”**

 

Light softly swore under his breath, holding the phone where L could see it too. Texting back, **“We had a fight, but really I just needed some time away and parents stressing me out with the exams. Can you do this? I’ve got the latest issue of Busty Beach Babes with your name on it.”** He snorted, finally feeling a little lighter now as he whispered to L, “It’s his favorite but his parents won’t let him buy it.”

 

“Shinji’s parents have good taste,” L murmured, smirking a bit at Light’s side commentary.

 

Shinji texted back, **“HELL YEAH! THE ONE WITH DONNA’S DOUBLE-D ADVENTURES?!””**

 

**“The very one.”**

 

**“Alright. You bring that sweet sweet honey over here tonight and you got a deal.”**

 

Light nudged L in the ribs, “How’s that bad porn looking now?” He giggled and kissed him on the cheek before he could retort. Texting back, **“Ok, I can bring it by in 15 min. Thanks buddy.”**

 

“It’s still shitty porn. Useful… but shitty.” The kiss on the cheek made L blush a little, and he shot Light an amused look, knowing he’d only done that as a sort of punctuation to keep him quiet. But alright, he would keep quiet for now.  


Light took a moment to cackle quietly, then texted his mom. **“Hey Mom, looks like I’ll be staying with Shinji tonight. He’s pretty freaked about the exam and I could use the crash session too.”**

 

His mom replied almost immediately, **“Well, I guess. But tomorrow’s school. Will he be ok with getting you there? Do I need to speak with his parents?”**

 

“Shit, no please don’t do that.” Hurriedly, **“We’ve got it all worked out. He’s got an extra uniform I’ll borrow and I’ll just take the train from his house. :) Love you!”**

 

**“Ok, I hope you can help him! From the sound of it he needs it. Love you too Light.”**

 

Light sucked in a long breath, leaning back on the car seat, a smug little smile starting to play on his lips. _Damn, that never gets old._ “I guess I’m all yours now.” He turned to look at L, taking his hand again. “Where to?”

 

“Masterfully done,” L said, smiling even more once Light put his phone away. “I take it we’re not taking you back to your house first before we leave Shinji his _special_ delivery? How do you plan on getting his _bad porn_ to him?”

 

Light beamed at L’s praise, it was fun for L to see him in action even just a little bit, doing something (mostly) innocent. “Well, we can just buy another copy of Busty Babes for Shiniji, or I _could_ if I had any money.” Light giggled softly at that, “All I have is train fare to get to school, so looks like you’re making a donation to Donna.”

 

The limo was stopping, and L knew he was going to have to make a decision quickly. Snorting, he kept an eye on the window to the driver’s cab and asked hurriedly, “Crap. Okay, teasing aside, here’s what we need to decide right this second. One, do you need to go to your house for anything? Magazine, uniform?” _Please, I really don’t want to pay for that crap… “_ And two, since it’s the easiest option, overall, do you know of any semi-decent to decent hotels in the area that will take walk-ins or a late reservation?” He gave Light a quick smile. “Preferably decent, obviously. And then I’ll need Shinji’s address so we can drop you off close to the area and let you make your delivery.”

 

The school uniform did present a slight issue, Light would need that for tomorrow. He giggled as he leaned in to nip at L’s jaw, murmuring, “It occurs to me that Shinji will give me a uniform if I give _him_ another bad porn. So maybe when you go in there and buy it you can pick something else equally horrific he’s sure to love.” The idea of L going into the corner store and buying tasteless smut made him grin, but he’d do it if L refused. “The corner store is just 2 blocks south of my house.”

 

Groaning, L mumbled playfully, “ _Fine_ , if I have to donate to the shitty porn pool, I guess it’s for a good cause. But just this once.” And he wasn’t about to let Light challenge him and _not_ take him up on it, even if it was going to be for something embarrassing.

 

Light leaned back, chuckling as the tension was finally flowing away completely now that they had a plan. _And more time with L, this couldn’t have worked out better. Maybe this was worth that nasty slap from Misa._ “Alright I know of a few hotels in the area, but let’s get out of Meguro because too many people know me here.” Shibuya was where Misa lived but it was an absolutely bustling area that was easy to slip in and out of, and full of hotels. It was just a few minutes away too, and the prices were _much_ more reasonable than Shinjuku. “I would suggest the Sakura Fleur Aoyama at. 2-14-15 Shibuya. It’s really low- key and has a cute atmosphere I think you’d like. They take walk-ins and supposedly have phenomenal room service too, although I haven’t tried it.”

 

“Corner store, two blocks south, Sakura in Shibuya, got it. Aiber!” Taking one of the empty water bottles, L tossed it at the window, snickering when Aiber rolled it down and gave him a look.

 

“You know, I’m technically _not_ your driver,” Aiber pointed out, smirking, glancing at Light consideringly.

 

“Whatever, that’s what you’re getting paid for tonight,” L retorted.

 

“Oh, am I getting paid? That’s news to me, you told me to ‘do it, _and be right quick about it’_ ,” Aiber said, affecting a very bad British accent that sounded _nothing_ like what L sounded like, _thank you very much._

 

“Uh… huh.” L rolled his eyes, failing to suppress a grin as he gave him the directions to the corner store. He told Aiber to ‘drive’, and turned to Light. “I hope your friend appreciates his present, because I can’t believe I’m _actually_ going to buy this drivel.”

 

Light snickered at L’s reluctant agreement, but it was endearing to see him assent to something uncomfortable just for Light’s sake. “Now you’ll know how I felt when I had to buy it in the first place to throw off your little snooping endeavors.” He ruffled L’s hair, wondering what kind of awful thing he’d pick for Shinji. That store didn’t have anything high-class or wild anyway, so pretty much anything L picked up was sure to please the intended audience.

 

L wanted to point out that Light hadn’t _needed_ to buy any porn to throw him off, and that it hadn’t worked in the _first_ place, but he held his tongue, smiling. “So… is there anything special I need to do to meet your...” L glanced towards the front again. “ _Other_ friend?”

 

Light hummed, nodding. _Yes, there’s something that would make him much more amenable to talking with you and not being a jerk about it._ “Don’t you remember? I gave you a clue once.” It thrilled him to talk about the clues and games he’d played with L when they were no more than shadows to one another. Scooting closer, he pressed his lips to L’s, remembering writing that name, that direction, remember his intent to confuse with just a hint of actual truth. Pulling back, he whispered low so Aiber wouldn’t hear, “Shinigami love apples. Or at least mine does. You’ll see just how _much_ if you buy a bunch of them. There’s not much he won’t do for them, within the rules of his kind.”

 

When Light leaned in to kiss him, L leaned into it as well, bemused by the reminder. _Oh yes, shinigami love apples, your message said._ “So porn and apples for your friends,” L murmured, pulling back reluctantly.

 

The limo stopped in front of the corner store, and luckily for L it was empty except for the cashier. Light gave him a devious look, “Have fun.”

 

Arching an eyebrow, L asked with a chuckle, “While I’m here, is there anything _you_ want? Or shall we wait for later?” Quite honestly, at this point, he was just stalling, he didn’t particularly want to go in there. Taking a pen and a napkin from one of the cabinets, he wrote down the address Light had given him and tossed the napkin through the window to Aiber. “There. That’s where we’re going, if you need to pull it up on the GPS.”

 

“Right-o, boss man.”

 

“Dude, shut it,” L said, laughing. This was one of the reasons he kept Aiber around, honestly, because aside from the dirt he had on him, the man was never flippant to the point of actual rudeness, and he gave L an outlet to just be silly every so often. _Lil Jon prose aside, my god._

 

Light smiled at the exchange between L and Aiber, it was nice to see L on friendly terms with people. Light was even starting to like this Aiber fellow, he seemed a good sort with a sense of humor at least, and that went a long way towards endearing people to him. Maybe he’d get a chance to chat with him later, but tonight he really only wanted to be with L, alone.

 

L opened the door and smiled at Light. “Last chance. I’m picking up some sodas.”

 

“Well, since you’re asking, maybe some chips. Consomme flavor, although I’m sure you already know that.” This was the very store he’d bought the chips and ‘borrowed’ the mini-television from, and he started giggling as he remembered it. Light couldn’t help himself now, he was having too much fun. “Perhaps when you’re in there, you might see something _interesting_ behind the counter.” He snorted, unwilling to say much more and hoping that having L holding the bag of chips and then noticing the mini-TV, he might put two and two together about how he’d managed to watch the news during his surveillance. _I really shouldn’t be pushing my luck so hard, but in for a penny, in for a pound. And I’m sure he’s still wondering how I did it._

 

“By the way, Shinji’s house is right there.” Light pointed to a two-story house a few hundred feet away. _No wonder he’s so salty about not getting his Busty Babes when he lives right across the street from them._ “After you grab the goods, I’ll walk over there and then we’ll be set.”

 

Consomme. L shot Light a look, frowning slightly when Light giggled and continued with a cryptic remark. “Oooookay, I’m just going to leave you to your amusement. I’ll be back in a couple minutes.” He gave Light a short nod, and grinned, ducking out of the car and walking into the store. _I probably look like just the type of creep one would expect to see buying porn and junk food at midnight, so at least that probably won’t be remarkable._ He made a beeline over to the grocery aisle first, grabbing everything that had been requested, and then wandered over to find the magazines.

 

“Ugh,” he mumbled to himself, wrinkling his nose and chewing at his thumbnail as he glanced over the different titles. They all looked like variations of the same shit. None of it was appealing. He plucked up the aforementioned issue Shinji wanted and then sighed as he looked everything else over again. _I can’t believe I’m doing this,_ he thought, glancing at the cashier. Hesitating, L finally picked up the lone leftover holiday themed magazine from the rack, muttering to himself, “Merry Christmas, Shinji.”

 

The cashier didn’t look at him as he walked up to the counter and deposited everything, taking a glance behind the counter as everything was rung in. _Now what was Light talking about, something behind the counter? There’s lots of electronics here._ He blinked a little when his eyes fell on the mini TVs, and he glanced over everything else again. Nothing else really caught his eye. His gaze slid from the TVs to the bag of chips that had just been deposited into a bag along with the apples and sodas, his mind working quickly through everything that had happened Saturday night. _Criminals started dying after Light started studying, and all he was doing was eating chips while the TV on his desk stayed off. But if he did that…_ L was highly tempted to ask the cashier if there had been any thefts over the weekend, or electronics purchases, but he decided against it. _I’m sure if I just ask Light, he’ll tell me_. Smirking slightly, L paid for everything and left the store, chewing thoughtfully at his lip.

 

“Your porn,” L announced, sliding into the car and thrusting the paper bag with the magazines at Light. “I hope Shinji likes girls dressed up as naughty elves and sexy candy canes and other holiday tripe.” He bit his lip, trying to hold in his laughter at the ‘ _holiday tripe_ ’ quip. _Light probably won’t get the joke. Too bad._

 

Light laughed loudly as he perused what L had purchased, wishing he could have been in there to see the look on his face. “Santa’s Handjob Helpers?” He leaned back on the seat and giggled until his sides hurt, tears coming to his eyes both at this awful porn and the current scowl on L’s face. “Oh god…” He wiped the tears away, leaning to press a sloppy kiss on L’s lips. “Shinji’s gonna love it. Good job.” He took a deep breath, steeling himself for the task before him. _Operation Porn Delivery and Uniform Retrieval._ He stuffed the two magazines into the paper bag, opening the door of the limo and walking across the street as he texted Shinji. **“Come around to the side of your house. Got something for you.”**

 

**“Alright man! Be right there.”**

 

Light stuffed his phone back in his pocket, slinking into the shadows as he waited for his friend. A moment later, Shinji was practically tripping out his front door, an eager grin on his face. A hushed whisper, “Light! What’s with all the sneakin’ around, huh”’

 

Light frowned, raising an unamused eyebrow at the unwanted questions. “Never you mind. Do you want Donna or not?” He reached into the bag and pulled out Busty Beach Babes, waggling it in front of him.

 

“You bet I do!” Shinji snatched at it, immediately opening it and going goggle-eyed. “Ohhhhh. My dream has finally come true.” He grinned and clutched the magazine to his chest, hugging it. “Thanks Light, so SO much.”

 

Light snickered, pulling out the other magazine. “Well, if you feel like letting me borrow an extra school uniform, you can also have a _very_ Merry Christmas. If a bit belated.”

 

Shinji gasped loudly, clapping a hand over his mouth. Murmuring through his fingers, “T-that’s Donna’s special holiday issue. Limited edition! I’ve been looking for it everywhere but it’s been sold out!” He dashed into the house immediately, probably making more noise than he should’ve, but in a flash was back in front of Light with a backpack. “Here you go, might be a little loose on you but good enough.” He thrust the backpack at Light, yanking Santa’s Handjob Helpers away with a plastered smile. He edged away from Light, waving happily while clutching his prizes. “See ya!”

 

Light waved over his shoulder, jogging back to the limousine and dumping the backpack to the floor of the car when he got inside. A relieved breath, “Well that was awkward. But he was very happy with your selection, L. Apparently it was a limited edition and you may have just given away the last copy in all Tokyo. I hope you won’t be _too_ disappointed.”

 

L looked up as Light got back into the limo, a confused look on his face. “I… what? I wondered why it was the only holiday issue there.” He snorted slightly, and shrugged, digging back through the bag and tugging out the chips and holding them out for Light. “I think I’ll live with the crushing disappointment.” He pulled out a bottle of soda from the bag and opened it, taking a swig as he settled down against Light’s side, content now.

 

The limo started to move again, towards the hotel in Shibuya, Light imagined. But suddenly he noticed another presence in the back. _Shit, Ryuk! He must have seen the apples._ Light swallowed hard, not really wanting _this_ to be where L met the shinigami, not with Aiber so close. But with apples in his technical possession, Ryuk would be expecting one. _Damn it, you troublesome demon._

 

“I’m glad Shinji’s happy with the selection. Now…” L rattled the bag at Light and dropped it in the teen’s lap, staring up at him with a tiny smile on his face before asking in a soft voice, “Those mini TVs behind the counter. You didn’t by any chance have one hidden in your bag of chips, now, _did_ you?” When Light swallowed hard, his eyes widened. “You aren’t getting squeamish about telling me these things _now_ , are you?” He reached into the bag one more time for another bottle of soda and offered it to Light.

 

“What?” Light’s eyes darted from Ryuk to L, just now registering what he was talking about. “Oh so you figured out the chips trick?” He laughed nervously, because no he wasn’t squeamish about that, just about his shinigami being so close, salivating at the apples in the bag and looking at him expectantly. He leaned closer to L, whispering, “It’s not that, it’s that my ‘friend’ is here. Right _here._ ” He cut his eyes to the other side of the limo, where L couldn’t see but Ryuk was lounging like a diva on the long seat opposite them.

 

Ryuk’s eyes glowed and he guffawed quietly, “I can hear better than you, y’know. Why ya telling people about me, Light-o? Ain’t he L? Did ya forget he wants ya dead just cause ya got your dick wet? Hyuk hyuk!”

 

L didn’t respond to the comment about the chip bag trick, but when Light whispered to him that the shinigami was there, L couldn’t help but stare around, wide-eyed. _I don’t…_ He cut a startled gaze to Light when he hissed at the long seat, and swallowed hard, glancing back at the empty space. “Um… Light? There’s…”

 

Light’s cheeks heated, and he hissed back at Ryuk. “It’s not like that anymore. He _doesn’t.”_ He knew Ryuk was just worried that all his fun would come to a premature end, and he’d been having the time of his life watching Light become Kira, play hide-and-seek with L, foil or fall for each other’s schemes. Of course, if Light died, the party was over.

 

L blinked, shooting Light a sulky, somewhat confused look. _Even if it’s YOU, Light, I don’t like being interrupted. Is his shinigami really there?_

 

“Pffft. If you say so.” Ryuk pointed a long finger towards the bag. “Gimme.”

 

Light grumbled, “Rude.” But he reached into the bag and took an apple, holding L’s gaze for a moment. “Brace yourself.” He tossed the apple towards Ryuk’s mouth. It disappeared into thin air.

 

L watched, unsure what he was supposed to be seeing until the apple disappeared right in front of his eyes. “What. The _FUCK._ ” He stared hard at the empty space again, unknowingly staring Ryuk right in the chin. “What just happened, Light? I can’t see anything.” His fingers clenched, breathing coming faster, and for a moment, L couldn’t tell if he was scared or excited.

 

Light was very hesitant to show Ryuk to L right this moment, but it seemed there was no time like the present. Ryuk wasn’t budging anywhere, still staring at the apples, but with a much more congenial smile on his face now that he’d gotten one. Light moved to sit behind L, hugging him in case what was about to happen would frighten him. _Actually I should ask him first if he’s ready._ He spoke quietly, running a hand down L’s arm to soothe him, “His name is Ryuk, and to everyone in the human world he’s invisible until...they are touched by a certain something that belongs to him. I can make it to where you can see him now, or we can wait until we get to the hotel. Your call, but I have to warn you….how he looks might shock you a little.”

 

“Hey!” Ryuk stuck out his tongue at Light. “Who you callin’ shocking, hmmmm? Pahhh, and you say I’M rude. Shinigami got feelings too.” He made a big show of sticking out his bottom lip before devolving into cackles.

 

 _If I hurt your feelings, L’s the queen of England._ Light rolled his eyes, but couldn’t help but giggle at Ryuk’s dumb antics. Although he’d never admit it to Ryuk, he was fond of the shinigami that had become his shadow over the past few months and shared in his wins and losses. “Well, what would you prefer I do? Can you _not_ freak out if you, uh...happen to see something _shocking_?”

 

If it weren’t for the fact he _was_ a little freaked out over not being able to _see_ the shinigami, L might feel a little insulted with the way Light was babying him. _I’d prefer if you just get to the point, please, Light_ , he thought, taking a deep breath as he whispered into Light’s jaw, “Is there a reason you’re being so vague? He literally just made an apple disappear into nothing in front of my eyes, how much more _shocking_ can it _get_?”

 

Setting his jaw, L settled back against Light’s chest and reached to pull Light’s arms around him before saying stubbornly, “Show me.” _Maybe it’s just because I don’t like the idea of only being able to hear Light’s side of the conversation… WAIT._  His eyes went wide as another, more disturbing thought occurred to him. “Wait! He wasn’t… was he watching us on Friday? Saturday _morning_?” Oh dear god, how much did the shinigami _see_?

 

It was difficult to say what exactly Ryuk was doing on Friday and Saturday, he’d been out of Light’s line of sight the entire time, right up until when they left the hotel room. Truthfully, “Ryuk wasn’t around that day in Shinjuku, he asked me to go there so he could see that part of the city but I didn’t see him again until Saturday morning, right before we said goodbye. He did pop in to hurry me up, but that was after anything, um, compromising might have occured.” Maybe a little later he could explain to L about shinigami eyes and how they could see through walls and extremely long distances, but now was _not_ the time for that.

 

Light sighed, L wasn’t going to make this any easier for either of them with his prickly attitude. “Fine, if you want to see him now, we can do that.” He fiddled with his watch until the secret compartment holding a scrap of the death note popped open. He held it up between two fingers, showing it to L, “Shinigami are gods of death and each one has a death note that they use to write down the names of humans to steal their years away. By doing that, they can become immortal. This is a piece of Ryuk’s death note.” He touched the scrap of paper to L’s hand, then put it back in his watch in a hurry.

 

Light fixed Ryuk in his gaze, giving him a look like _don’t you do anything scary or stupid._ But it wasn’t needed, Ryuk just propped his head up on his elbow and waved with a toothy grin. “Hiya.”

 

L was extremely quiet in Light’s arms, watching curiously as he fiddled with his watch, holding up an unremarkable piece of paper in between his fingers. _This seems… anti-climactic_ , L thought, watching the way Light touched the scrap to his hand after that description and looking up in a huff, only for his eyes to go wide as he suddenly saw the dark presence across the way. _Ryuk._ His gaze was drawn upwards past the long spindly limbs and extra goth accessories to a face that looked drawn from a nightmare, made all the more garish because the creepy, sharp toothed grin and glowing eyes belonged to a being that was… lounging in the back of his limo like a cat, like he _belonged_ there. His breath caught, eyes wide as saucers and nostrils flaring as he gripped hard at Light’s arm.

 

Swallowing hard, L managed a tight whisper of, “Hi.” _Seriously?_ He needed to find a better way of greeting people. _Or shinigami._ Taking a deep breath, L tried to unclench his fists and keep his breathing even as he added in a near approximation of his normal tone, “I, ah… heard you like apples.”

 

“Heh, yup, you might say that.” Ryuk tilted his head, his mouth sliding into a Cheshire cat grin. “You gonna gimme one?”

 

Light huffed at Ryuk’s poor manners, but it was just like him, not caring a whit about who L was anymore as long as there was something in it for him in the here and now. “Ryuk, I _just_ gave you one. We’re going to a hotel and _if_ you behave, you might get some more.” He thought that L was taking all of this rather well, and he turned his head to see if that was really the case. “Well, here he is. Although every shinigami looks different--”

 

“I’m one of the more handsome ones, everybody says it in the realm.” Ryuk’s chest puffed out and he looked rather chuffed with himself in a way that made Light _really_ not want to see the uglier shinigami.

 

Light rolled his eyes, “Yes, I’m sure you’re the prize pig of the shinigami realm.” He looked out the window a moment, noticing with some relief that they were in Shibuya and close to the hotel. All of this would be much less (or slightly less) awkward if they weren’t in the back of a car.

 

 _I should have bought more apples._ “I’d…” Trailing off, L swallowed hard again, glancing between Light and Ryuk with wide eyes and deciding it might be better to _not_ voice his flippant thought. “Uh.” The easy banter between the two was calming him down slightly, and L relaxed his death grip on Light’s arm after a moment.

 

Ryuk hovered a little up off the seat when they hit a bump, staying there when the road evened out. Throwing a thumb behind his head, “Who taught this guy to drive? Think he hit all the potholes on this planet and half in my realm too.”

 

The derisive comment about Aiber’s driving pulled an actual, barking laugh from L, and he clapped his hands over his mouth, face flushing bright red when Aiber put the window down slightly and called, “Did I miss something? What’s funny?”

 

“Nothing!” L practically shouted, covering his face with his hands. _Why am I so flustered?_ “Are we almost there?” He needed to just get out of this moving vehicle and get somewhere where he could splash some cold water on his face (or just dunk his head), because the constant emotional whiplash of the evening was starting to catch up with him. _I am dreaming. That’s what’s happening. This is all some sort of weird, surrealist dream, and I am going to wake up and wonder if Watari slipped some magic mushrooms onto that pizza I had for lunch, THAT’S how absurd this is._ “I would _really_ like for this car ride to be over.”

 

Light grit his teeth, wishing he’d just waited until they were somewhere less enclosed to spring all this. But L had _asked_ to see him, said he’d wanted to meet him, so...maybe it just wasn’t what he was expecting. Light was pretty used to Ryuk by now, he’d been over his shoulder so long maybe he was just jaded. “You got your apple, scram until I call for you. If you want some more, that is.” Ryuk was making L nervous and they were both frayed enough. Maybe it was too much too fast. Ryuk shrugged and phased up through the roof of the limo, muttering something about ‘bumpy rides.’

 

Light turned in the seat to face L, not wanting to crowd him as his processed all this. Quietly, “Hey...are you alright?” They’d come to a stop and Aiber was idling for them in front of the hotel. “We’re here now if you want to go inside.” He collected Shinji's backpack and the bag of apples and snacks, moving to open the door but waiting for L to let him know he was ready.

 

“I think I might like to have my breakdown when we get inside, thanks,” L murmured, tossing a wide eyed glance at the cab to make sure Aiber hadn’t heard before busying himself with collecting his things. Which, to be fair, only consisted of the bag of sweets that he finally found wedged in between the seat and the door. _How did it get THERE?_ Light had everything else. “Yeah, please let’s. Aiber, you can go back to the hotel, I’ll call you in the morning if I need a lift. Thank you.”

 

“Don’t mention it,” Aiber said, glancing back at them.

 

“I really do-”

 

“Seriously, Ryuzaki, don’t mention it,” Aiber cut him off, putting a subtle stress on the word ‘don’t’. L nodded and motioned for Light to go ahead of him, climbing out afterwards and just breathing in the somewhat fresh air as Aiber pulled away. He wasn’t sure if it was just the enclosed space that had had him freaking out, or if it was literally just a culmination of every weird thing that had happened that day that was making him go a little crazy, but taking a deep breath of air that _wasn’t_ canned seemed to be clearing his head a little bit.

 

L hesitated and looked to Light before reaching out tentatively for his hand. “Apparently, I’m not taking this as well as I _thought_ I would,” he confessed sheepishly, tugging Light towards the front door of the cute little hotel.

 

Light felt guilty but didn’t really know what to say, so just squeezed L’s hand to let him know he was happy L reached for him. _I’m causing him nothing but problems. Today and every day since we met._ No, that wasn’t right either. _Since well before then._ He followed L up the short staircase to the front doors of the hotel, pushing them open with his shoulder and stepping inside. It was a very different atmosphere from the Park Hyatt, but where that had been decadent and glamourous, this was comfortable and decorated with more traditionally Japanese minimalism. There was a long bar towards the back of the lobby where soft jazz music was wafting in from, and the front desk was to their left against the wall.

 

If L were being honest, just the fact that Light was there to give him that small, tangible bit of reassurance was enough for right now, enough to help ground him somewhat. The comfortable aesthetic and the soft music floating through the air also helped a lot, and he sighed, eyes closing for a brief moment.

 

They walked up to the front desk, and Light asked, “I know it’s late but do you happen to have any rooms available?”

 

The clerk turned to his computer, nodding after a moment. “Yes, we have a non-smoking room or a smoking room, or a double suite, or a balcony room. Unfortunately all four of those just have single King beds, but there is a pull out couch in each of them too.”

 

Light would let L respond since he didn’t have any money to pay for this. _Again._ “Do you have a preference?”

 

L smiled a little, glancing at Light when the clerk gave them the apology over the lack of separate beds. “We’ll take the balcony one, please,” L responded, and he knew that they probably wouldn’t have the same experience they’d had on Saturday morning… but perhaps they could spend a little time out there tonight while they talked. The clerk took down his information while L watched Light’s face, feeling a little guilty for being so self absorbed, and once they were processed and received their keys, L lead the way.

 

Light smiled to himself when L chose the balcony room, that would have been his choice too and, of course, a King bed sounded divine. Following L to the elevators, he slung the backpack over his shoulder, wondering what school would be like tomorrow with the little to no sleep he was likely to get tonight.

 

“Light?” L said softly, finally feeling calmed down enough to think, pressing the button for the elevator. “If you’re… feeling responsible or guilty over my reaction to everything, please don’t. I brought this on myself, _I asked_. I don’t want you to beat yourself up.” _Not over my freak out._ “And… thank you. For telling me.”

 

L seemed to be coming back to himself a little, enough at least to notice that Light was quiet and equally as uncomfortable as he was, if for a different reason. Light smiled wryly up at the elevator display, watching it count down as it approached. “No, I understand. I’m pretty sure I screamed bloody murder the first time I saw...him, although I didn’t get much of a warning about it.”

 

L smiled slightly to himself when Light confessed to _his_ reaction to Ryuk. _Maybe if I had seen him under different circumstances, my reaction would’ve been the same as yours, Light._ He certainly didn’t think any less of Light for _that_.

 

The elevator doors opened and they stepped inside, and Light checked the room number on the key then punched the button for the floor. Apart from literally moving, he didn’t feel of very firm ground right now. On the one hand he was somewhat excited to share all this with L, but on the other he anticipated just shock after shock until they were both completely worn down. This wasn’t like explaining his plans to Misa or Ryuk or within his own mind, the things Light had done and everything that had happened were not likely to put him in a good light with L. But no matter, the important thing was that he was just being honest with a person he _wanted_ to be honest with. That alone was worth the pain and trouble to Light. He just hoped it was to L too.

 

L watched Light with growing concern. Whatever the teen was musing over, the elevator ride up to their floor was tense. _And not the fun kind of tense_. He could feel it building and building, unsure of exactly what was causing it, but knowing it wasn’t going to be pretty when it finally crested. He’d seen what happened to Light when that tension broke, and while in some circumstances it was quite enjoyable… they weren’t exactly _there_ right now.

 

L blinked when Light’s phone started buzzing as they reached their floor, wincing as he realized who the likely caller was. _Misa. Shit._ The way Light was drifting, ignoring the buzzing… _Should I-_

 

The doors opened and Light wandered out in a half-daze, feeling his phone in his pocket buzzing and buzzing and...finally the tension in Light snapped and he yanked it out of his pocket and broke it in half. Breathing hard, he stared down at the shattered pieces of electronics and glass, making a soft strangled noise in the back of his throat before turning to throw it all in the trash. It wasn’t smart or calculated or very much like Light Yagami, but at least it was quiet now.

 

Watching Light completely _destroy_ his phone had L gaping, and he swallowed hard, reaching out to take Light’s hand carefully, asking in a soft voice, “Light? What’s wrong?” He lead the teen down the hall, opening the door and tugging him into the room. He gently took the bag of apples from Light, setting it down on the table before coming back to take the backpack from him as well. “What do you need?” He knew that _he_ needed a little fresh air again, but that could wait.

 

Light’s hands were shaking as he looked down at them, the glass had cut him and he was bleeding in a few places. “I...I don’t know. I just…” He looked around, finding himself inside the hotel room but not remembering coming inside. Focusing back on L, “I just knew it was _her_ and I couldn’t…” He swallowed hard and trailed off, going to the little sink in the half-kitchen to wash his hands. They were just scratched but the soap stung anyway as he scrubbed, washing them again, and again.

 

“She’s the one who set off this whole situation tonight, so I can understand why you wouldn’t want to hear from her again,” L murmured, drifting along behind Light at every turn and doing his best to just _be there_. He didn’t have any good reason _why_ he was doing it, it just felt like the right thing to do, and he reach up to rub one hand lightly across Light’s shoulders.

 

Quietly, “Part of me doesn’t want to tell you the things I know I need to say.” Light drew his hands back from the water and finally turned it off, bending over the sink to get his bearings. It wasn’t that he was ashamed, he _didn’t_ feel that way. And wasn’t that enough to be ashamed about? He turned and grabbed a towel, drying his hands as he laughed nervously. “Let’s go on the balcony for a minute, I’m sure we could both use the fresh air.”

 

That suggestion pulled a soft smile from L, and he nodded, sliding his arm around Light’s shoulders and squeezing briefly before murmuring, “That sounds like a divine plan to me.”

 

Light wandered to the back of the room, opening the sliding glass door enough to slip out into the moonlit and breezy Tokyo night. It still wasn’t very late and the city below them was alive, cars honking, the sound of a distant train. But muffled by distance so almost pleasant to hear, the echo of a city in a seashell. He turned to see that L had followed him, holding out an arm to encourage him closer. “I’m not pushing you away. It’s just that I’ve lived in so much fear these past few months, wondering when I’d be cornered, having to dodge, having to do things I didn’t _want_ to do to protect myself.” He stroked L’s back, hoping the cool night air was doing him some good too. _It does feel better out here._ “Telling someone _everything_ isn’t something I’d ever thought I would do. In my mind, that meant death. The police torturing it out of me, or someone even trying to use this power for actions far worse.”

 

L moved closer to sling an arm around Light’s waist, leaning against his side and closing his eyes as he let Light speak. He knew what it was to need to get the words _out_ uninterrupted. Because sometimes, if you weren’t allowed to say what you wanted to say, you forgot what it was you _meant_ , and he had experienced that enough as a child to know how much it stung. And right now, hearing Light voice his doubts and fears… Letting out a heavy sigh, L murmured, “I can completely relate. I couched it in easily converted terms like ‘project’ or ‘coworkers’, but let’s be honest, this case has been… _clearly_ has been intense on both sides. If I had known two months ago what I know now, I don’t know if I would have done anything differently, but I would like to think that I _would_ have.” Taking a deep breath, L turned into the embrace, looking up at Light’s face as he murmured, “And I get the feeling that if you were to tell me everything, I would probably change my mind again. But I have also done many things on this case I have never done before. I’ve done things I’m not proud of in an effort to protect myself, as well. And I’ve done things I shouldn’t have done, purely for the challenge of it. You are truly the only person I’ve ever consistently been challenged by.”

 

Light turned on the balcony railing, guiding L closer but holding him lightly, not forcing. “I guess I could just start at the beginning, or if you had specific questions, I’ll answer whatever you want.”

 

Leaning up to press a soft kiss to Light’s mouth, L pulled away, sighing a little before whispering, “You extended your trust to me already. I appreciate that much more than you may realize. I _just_ want you to tell me the truth, however you choose to do so.”

 

L’s presence and gentle touch, the soft kiss, were going miles to calm Light’s nerves and help him remember that this wasn’t an interrogation, no one was trying to kill him here. It seemed like L really wanted to _listen_ not just accumulate and analyze; it was a different way of thinking about L, but it was the way Light needed to feel if he was going to tell him everything.

 

Light smiled, eyes flicking back to the neon skyline as he thought about where to begin. “November 28th. That was the day that I found it.” He leaned back against the railing, letting L go just to hold his hand for now. “I was sitting in class, bored out of my mind as usual, and saw something fall from the sky into the courtyard. Later, I got curious and went to go get a good look at it. I thought it was a joke at first, just a thin black notebook that said ‘Death Note’ on the cover and had some confusing rules inside. Said whoever’s name was written on the pages would die, if you kept their face in your mind.” He laughed softly, “It wasn’t a joke.”

 

Light’s fingers brushed over his watch that held the tiny scrap inside. “It was several days before Ryuk showed up out of nowhere, but I’d already used it extensively by then. The first time was the school hostage situation in Shinjuku. Remember that? I was watching the news play out, and he’d already killed and hurt six people, still had eight hostage in the school but refused to come out. Snipers couldn’t get a shot on him. But…” He looked nervously at L, “...I had the death note on my desk, and I thought I could end it all right there if the thing actually worked. Save those people. So, I wrote his name, tested it out.” A little smile, remembering his shock and disbelief then, “It worked. Those hostages were saved and Kurou Otoharada had a heart attack 40 seconds after I wrote his name.” He watched the seconds tick by on his watch, “That’s how long it takes, unless you write a time or circumstances of the death.”

 

He scanned the night sky, wondering where Ryuk flew off to. “Once Ryuk showed up, I asked him a lot of questions, was able to test the limits and rules of the death note much more. Learned that other death notes had come to Earth before a few times. That the shinigami realm was just one of many other worlds than ours. There were more and more opportunities to intervene and I just kept thinking…” He turned to L, took both his hands, eyes asking for at least an attempt to understand. “...that what was worse for me to do? I had a power no one else did, I could stop injustice or violence right there in the moment. Was it better to sit back and do nothing then? I found myself tested so many times, and I came to the conclusion that I _had_ to do something. Because I was the only one who could.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here’s the Sakura Fleur Aoyama Tokyo: http://sakura-fleur-aoyama.hotels-tokyo-jp.com/en/


	18. Justice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> L and Light continue to discuss the death note and the nature of justice as they see it. Some painful memories are dredged up in the process, but quickly forgotten as they make the most of their time together.

L was silent throughout Light’s explanation, and for a long moment after he finished speaking, waiting to see if he was going to continue. It seemed like Light was waiting for something from him, so he took a slow, deep breath, not looking away, his expression subdued. “I remember the Shinjuku hostage situation. It’s what made me take notice that something interesting was happening. I wondered... how was it possible that a seemingly healthy, if unstable, man would suddenly have a heart attack? I didn’t start to put together that there was a pattern and that it had been murder until criminals started dropping like flies, but I remember _that_ clearly because… I... couldn’t honestly say that I wouldn’t have done the same thing if I had the power to do so. Either by sniper or by any other means necessary.” His mouth twisted in regret and distaste as he looked back down. “I would have taken up the search for Kira secretly, on my own terms, if Interpol hadn’t contacted me first to put a stop to the killings.” _I should have told them no._

 

He shifted his gaze down to the street below, taking everything in, and speaking in a very soft voice, now, confessing to something he hadn’t even told _Watari_. _Because I’m not sure if Watari would understand, despite how long he has taken care of me, stood by my side._ “You killed off some very bad people, early on. Some people who had slipped even _my_ grasp, even after I put them away. I never _hated_ Kira. I… truthfully, in many ways, I _envied_ Kira. That he somehow had the power even _L_ didn’t have, to dispense justice that the worst of the worst couldn’t even escape. I only said a lot of the things I said to goad Kira into revealing himself, obviously, but not for the reasons I said publicly. That was just the role I was supposed to play. And I... do my job well, apparently.”

 

 _He might have done the same thing if he’d had the power to?_ Light’s mouth went dry as he listened to L say that, eyes wide and shining. It was something he’d never even considered, that L himself might have been _jealous_ of the power to enact justice swiftly like Kira. There was a wistfulness in L’s voice, sounding nearly like he was either indifferent or _glad_ that Kira had taken out some of those awful people. Light gave him a funny look but was smiling too, “You certainly _did_ do your job well. The things you said during the Lind L. Tailor situation infuriated me.”

 

Hearing Light say how infuriated L had made him during the Lind L. Tailor incident perked him up a bit, his lips twitching into an amused smile, but he refrained from commenting. _I wonder if, after all this, I should let him… ‘punish’ me for that. After all, I was only saying those things to piss him off, and I REALLY liked the things he did to me when I was being a brat on Saturday…_ L gave a mental shake, returning his attention to Light, cheeks a little flushed as he listened raptly.

 

Light laughed softly, “Excited the hell out of me too, like...finally, someone to challenge me, who will try to figure out what I’m doing.” _Because nobody else had a damn clue._ “I used to read the coverage or news of me, the speculation and conspiracy theories. Yeah, Ryuk and I would have a good laugh over what people thought Kira was.” He gave L a thoughtful look, wondering now how the detective would have faced this power if their situations were reversed. “But you knew right away where I was, you had some ideas at least of what I needed to kill, you already saw my work for what it was. Even if you said it wasn’t justice, just by saying that you signaled you knew that’s what I was trying to do.”

 

When Light fell silent, L murmured softly, “I saw myself reflected in everything you were doing. I confess, I don’t necessarily think it’s justice. Justice is about fairness, and justice as a concept is a lovely ideal, but it’s… flawed. I think the criminals deserve what they get by your hands, but what you do, and I would do in the very same position, it’s retribution meted out because justice _wasn’t_ served. If we’re going to define it.” He leaned up to kiss Light, mouth lingering for a long moment before he pulled away. _This is not the time to distract._

 

Light felt a twinge of passion behind L’s kiss after he stated his thoughts about the Lind L. Tailor incident, his lips lingering, and it was somewhat electrifying. _Did that exchange get him as excited as it got me?_ He was a little breathless when L finally pulled away, feeling blood rushing to places that _really_ weren’t needed right now. Later, yes, but he didn’t want to derail this conversation when they were both being so honest and open. He gave L a wry smile, “Sometimes vengeance _is_ justice, L. But Kira’s ideals don’t conform to those of either per se. I don’t really want to be an ideal, I want to be reality. Something people don’t have to wonder about like a faceless, nameless being in the sky who lives only in legend. Something people can see.” It was complicated to explain how he wanted the world to see Kira; in some ways he was more than a god already-- his ‘miracles’ were real and undeniable. In other ways, he was just as hidden and nebulous as any other unexplained force, by necessity.

 

A little thrill went through L at the verbal sparring, and he smiled, conceding the point to Light about what was justice. Light would know better what Kira was supposed to be, after all, and as it turned out, it wasn’t _too_ far from what L had concluded, anyway. _Later. Save that sparring for later._ Looking back up at Light, his eyes flashed, and he squeezed the teen’s hands, whispering, “That’s fair. Though… you must have had something motivating you. I know _my_ reasons for how and why I would use such power if I had it. But you… your life seems to have been a good one.” The unspoken ‘why’ hung in the air between them as L stared, curious and open, eager almost for the answer now that he had a partial ‘how’.

 

 _Did he just say he would use the power of the death note, if he had it?_ Light got quiet when L asked about his motivations, maybe because they were so personal to him, times he’d experienced pain or loss or helplessness. But he wanted to share that with L, even if it opened him to vulnerability. “My life...yes, overall it _has_ been good. I have a family that loves me, I’ve succeeded in anything I’ve tried. But, I guess there were two major things that led me to believe early on that the world was a pretty rotten place and I was lucky to have been spared the worst of it.” _And what I have experienced was bad enough to change my view of the world._ Neither was easy to talk about, but Light knew it was important for understanding what formed Kira.

 

“One of my earliest memories was of my father coming home blind, back when he wasn’t the Chief but just a police officer. He was a first responder in the 2005 sarin attacks in the Tokyo subway, and the effects of the gas killed a dozen people but around 1000 more were seriously hurt or blinded, most of them temporarily.” Light chewed his lip, the memory wasn’t pleasant. “He eventually got his sight back but it was never normal again. That’s why he wears those thick glasses.” His Dad played it off and compensated, but Light would see him bleary-eyed after long days and know it still bothered him. “For a couple of weeks, all he could do to know if his children were smiling or frowning was to touch their face.” His fingertips brushed L’s cheek and mouth, in the way his father used to do. “It was a scary time, not knowing if he’d be able to see, would lose his job or not. My mom suffered a lot.” His hand fell away, moving to L’s back to pull him into a hug.

 

Hearing about what happened to Soichiro was a shock, and L stiffened against the railing, looking away for a moment. His gaze shifted back to Light’s when he felt fingers brush his face, and his eyes stung slightly with tears of sympathy. Swallowing hard, L let Light pull him into a hug, and he whispered into Light’s neck, “I’m sorry.” L slowly pulled back from the tight embrace, staring up at Light intently. _Should I tell him that the sarin attack was one of my first cases?_ How odd that they both held certain events as defining moments.  His jaw worked, trying to decide if he should say anything, but Light was already moving on.

 

“The other thing...it’s Shinji. We grew up together, been friends since kindergarten. But his Dad was the type of asshole that beat his wife and kids and made them think they deserved it. They were pretty poor, but his Dad had some lawyer friends that were always getting him out of trouble, and eventually Shinji’s mother stopped even reporting it, she was just _broken_. I, uh...saw him suffer a lot as a kid, but couldn’t do much about it. I told my Dad once and he investigated, but Shinji’s mom wouldn’t press charges so nothing stuck.” He was quiet a little while, starting to smile again. “Kira gave him justice though. That was one of the first names I wrote after I knew it was real. That and all the people responsible for the sarin attack who didn’t get the death penalty.” He breathed out, “God that felt good when I wrote it.”

 

Tightening his grip on Light, L listened intently. He hadn’t actually _met_ Shinji, but from the little he knew about him, the kid seemed a decent sort. He smiled slightly to hear the satisfaction in Light’s voice when he admitted to writing those names down, and finally said softly, “Thank you. I was _so_ angry when I couldn’t get the death penalty for _all_ of the people responsible for the sarin attack.”

 

It surprised Light to hear L hinting that he had been involved in the sarin attack case, and it showed on his face. “Were you...involved in that case? You helped prosecute them?” A wave of gratitude washed over him because these people had hurt and maimed his father, his _hero_. “Before that happened, there was talk they might all get off. They were part of a violent cult and had hurt innocent people before, but were relying on an insanity defense to spare them.” He remembered how his mother had cried the night the news announced life sentences or _less_ for half the perpetrators, and that image was playing in his mind when he wrote the others’ names. He sighed heavily, “Wow, thank you for doing what you could. If you hadn’t they might have all gotten away, hurt more people.”

 

“I was still too young to be able to see every angle with that case,” L lamented quietly, cheeks flushing a little when Light thanked him. “That insanity plea… It screwed up my case, you saw I was only able to get them to throw out three of the insanity pleas. If I had been able to… Oh, it doesn’t matter now. They got what they deserved.” He hesitated, eyes flickering up to Light’s and then away.

 

Looking down at L, Light’s smile became a grin, “This is so weird, Kira spilling his guts to L and feeling happy about it.” Something L had said before was still in his mind though, “So you said you had reasons to use the power if you had it. Were you referring to the desire for instant justice in your cases, or something else?”

 

Looking down again, L let out a soft, ‘ahh’, chuckling humourlessly when Light finally asked him what he’d meant. “I probably have not grown up much, honestly. Much of my motivations for doing what I do is to try to prevent horrific things from happening to innocent people, because I was too young to…” His voice suddenly faltered, breaking slightly, and he turned away, hunching in on himself. His own pain was the case that had inspired him to actually take this detective thing he had done as a hobby more seriously. That had inspired him to pursue the job of finding the people behind the sarin attacks, because it was close to home, and at least he would be able to do _something_ to help his birth country. Taking a deep breath, and then another, L squeezed his eyes shut, hands clenching around the railing as he mentally assured himself that he _could_ do this. Even if it still hurt and frustrated him after all these years. _If Light can share his painful memories, surely I can share a little of mine._ Voice harsh and quiet, he admitted, “When I was five, I... watched my family’s home burn to the ground. I had a bad habit of sneaking out and running off to explore the forest by our house at night, so I knew a dozen ways to get out of the house without my parents suspecting. And one night, I returned home to find the house ablaze.”

 

L had to stop, frowning, heart pounding wildly in his throat as the confusing tangle of fragmented memories and images and emotions came rushing back. That story had always seemed _off_ ; too simple and pat to be real. When Watari had first brought him to England, and he had finally told the man about his experience, _this_ had been the old man’s gentle suggestion of what might have happened. That maybe some of the terrifying things in those fragmented memories were nothing more than half remembered nightmares about the trauma… because he had _never_ been able to make sense of that night. There were shadowy images -- _monsters, with loud metallic voices and hulking shoulders--_ and sharp impressions -- _hunched down in a hollow tree, too scared to move or even breathe--_ that didn’t fit anywhere. And a half-remembered voice running through it all telling him to _run and hide, son, don’t come back._ Hesitant, he continued slowly, “I was so... _terrified_ , I literally crouched in… I think in a tree, like a statue and watched because I didn’t know what to do.” Even _that_ didn’t sound quite right. No, his memory of the tree was something different, from before he saw the house ablaze. But... “Which means that I saw a figure run off into the night, even if I didn’t remember that part until later, when I found the unsolved case files for it.” The case files he had found when he was nine. The files he had never been able to get all the way through. “ _Arson_.”

 

Light’s surprise turned to shock when L started to talk about the arson that had burned down his family’s home. And even though L didn’t _say_ it, Light read between the lines that L’s family perished in that fire. _He had to watch that happen when he was only 5?_ It was the same age Light had been during the sarin attacks, a tender age when parents meant the whole world. Sympathy and sadness bled from Light as he held L close, “I’m so sorry that happened to you, L.” He stroked his hair, gently pushing those memories away and letting him know he was safe here with Light. But Light also felt furious that someone had gotten away with hurting L and the people who should have been there to give him a proper childhood.

 

The surprise that shot through L when Light wrapped his arms around him pulled a soft whimper from him, and it seemed to be the last chip in the dam holding back the emotions he’d been trying so hard to push away all evening. _Dammit, no!_ He buried his face into Light’s chest, fingers clutching at his back as the tears flowed, thin shoulders shaking as he tried in vain to contain the emotions again. _I didn’t want to cry about this._ The things Light was saying, the way he held him and stroked at his hair, it all helped to soothe the frayed edges as he cried himself out.

 

 _How young must L have been when he started working as L? 8 or 9?_ Light sighed, not letting L go as he felt the man cling to him and sob, just softly touching him and letting him release the emotion that must have been bottled up a long time. “It’s alright…” He didn’t want to sound patronizing because Light knew very well that it _wasn’t_ alright, nothing about that situation was right. But Light wanted to help make it _better_ , if he could.

 

“I’ve _never_ been able to solve that case,” L finally admitted harshly. “If I could… the person who did it would get the death penalty, if I could manage it. And if not?” He shrugged helplessly. _He_ wasn’t justice, he was vengeance, and he couldn’t even do _that_ properly, because he’d never been able to get past his own humanity to look at it with the same cold logic he used for everything else.

 

 _Should I offer him Kira’s brand of justice? Would he be offended that I would want to solve it my way?_ Light whispered quietly, “All I need is a face and a name. And I would do what should have been done if we lived in a world of _justice._ ” If justice was fairness, what in the hell was fair about a child growing up without their family, a criminal getting away and never facing punishment for this wrong? Perhaps that was the new world that Kira would be creating, where vengeance and justice overlapped and blurred, but Light was perfectly content for that to be the case. Welcomed it.

 

Once L’s breathing had evened out (god, he hoped he hadn’t been crying too long, he never cried in front of _anyone_ ), L took a shuddering breath and looked up with a fierce look on his face. “I don’t have that information, yet, Light,” he whispered. “I’ve never been able to read through the entire file. I’m too close to it.” A ragged laugh. “Imagine, _L_ , too afraid to solve a case. All I know is it had something to do with my father’s job.” He paused, and then said in a very soft voice, “And it took place here in Japan.”

 

“I’ll help you, anything I can do, that you’ll let me do. I gladly would.” Light meant it too, the white-hot rage that he usually felt when seeing some injustice or wrong like this was compounded so much more because it was L. _This fire happened in Japan? I just can’t believe that I wanted to kill you for so long. And now? I’d risk so much to give you peace._

 

L was silent for a long moment, chewing on his lip as he searched Light’s expression for any sign of insincerity. So he was a little insecure about his place among Light’s friends and family, it wasn’t like he had had much _experience_ being anyone’s priority. _Certainly not my mother’s sister._ The bitter thought didn’t help, and he finally gave Light a tiny, sad smile. _I can see that you care a great deal, Light, though god knows why when we’ve only just..._

 

 _He thinks I didn’t mean it? Or he doesn’t think I’d help?_ Light gave him a curious look as L searched his face for a lie, but as L seemed to relax so did he. Of course, it probably seemed so rushed and unconventional, but everything about their situation was that way. There was no playbook for the relationship _they_ had, it wasn’t going to unfold like a romantic movie or one of Sayu’s soaps. Light was just doing and saying what felt right to him, what he wanted to say. That felt glorious, honestly.  Light whispered, “L...you’ve been alone a long time, haven’t you? Working by yourself, isolated, and maybe it needed to be that way. But…” _Shit this is presumptuous but I don’t care._ “...I know that I could help you with more than just that one old case. Doesn’t being L ever get lonely?” He smiled gently, “Well, you’ve got Aiber, I guess.” The older man seemed to have a good if rancorous relationship with L, but he didn’t seem like an equal, not someone trading ideas with L.

 

“Aiber doesn’t really count,” L said softly, smiling briefly. “We’re on friendly terms, and he seems to like me well enough, but when it comes down to it… I sometimes can’t tell if he likes me because of _me,_ or… if he likes me because I spared him from jail.” That was a risk. Before Light could react, L said dryly, “Don’t worry. He’s not a murderer or abuser. He’s just very… _persuasive_ , shall we say? But other than him, there’s only two other people who I would trust with my life.” He paused again, and then said, “Make that three, if I’m counting you.

 

Light rolled his eyes and grinned when L quipped about Aiber, “I wasn’t going to _kill_ him. Obviously he’s doing some good in the world if he’s helping you. Plus, I seem to have a weakness for people with talented mouths.” _Although Aiber doesn’t fall into the same category of interest as you at all._

 

L snorted a laugh at Light’s ‘talented mouth’ comment, a genuine smile spreading across his lips at that. _So long as you aren’t interested in him the same way you are in ME._

 

“Bad jokes aside, I _am_ serious. If we could make it work somehow so that you feel safe I won’t just write down the name of every bad guy we come across. Unless you _want_ me to.” Light giggled at that, but he wanted to make clear that he had his own interests to serve too. That would probably be another conversation. It had touched him deeply that L said he trusted him with his life. Their actions tonight were enough proof of that he supposed, what with Light betraying Misa and now plotting her probable death just to save L from her. They’d both trusted each other with information that could compromise or end their lives. Hearing it voiced was different though, that L really felt safe with him. It was enough for Light to know that L really would welcome his help and his presence in his life.

 

“You were right. I’ve been alone pretty much all my life. I would… welcome a change, there, if you’re serious about wanting to help.” This time, L’s searching gaze was looking for all the little tells of Light’s emotional state, hoping that the things they had shared with each other would be enough to soften the raw edge of uncertainty and tension that had been surrounding them earlier. The fact that they seemed to be on the same page, or similar enough pages to make this unconventional _thing_ between them _work_ … it was enough to set his heart and body aflame, and he wrapped his arms around Light’s neck to pull him closer, pressing his body against the teen’s suggestively, wanting nothing more in that moment than to just _not think_.

 

Light pressed back in return, murmuring, “I’ve always been surrounded by people, but I’ve still been alone. I’d like a change too.” Light relaxed as L stroked his fingers lightly against his cheek before kissing him, feeling the depth of emotion and all the things so hard to voice behind it, returning it with an unspoken _me too_.

 

L leaned into the kiss, putting all the gratitude and relief, and care, and _passion_ he felt for the teenager but didn’t really know how to put into _words_ into that kiss. _That? That_ he knew how to do. _Thank you._ And hey, even if Light wanted to sleep for a few hours before school in the morning, if he wanted to indulge with L in something a little more… _carnal_ , right now, there was nothing to say that he couldn’t ask Ryuk some questions on his own while they were here… right? _I’ll ask later._

 

Light immediately sensed that the way that L was pressing up against him now wasn’t for comfort, and he made a pleased noise into their kiss, his hands now roaming over L’s thin body. He pushed a hand under his shirt, fingertips teasing and stroking L’s lower back before dipping below inside his jeans. _Oh you sneaky man, putting on a show for the world like you hated Kira but secretly lusting for that power. Secretly lusting for Kira! Wanting to draw me into the open for your own sick desires, and screw what anyone else wanted._ That thought alone was starting to make him hard, that and the way L was pushing against his hips as he turned to pin him against the balcony railing. It was so _transgressive_ , the very person hired to stop him now part of his dangerous game, in on the wild joke he was playing on everyone. Made him want L more than ever, and to show him everything, including how fun it could be. _And do you want to be a god too, L? Will you be horrified when you see that I enjoy what I do, that it thrills me to wipe this scum away?_

 

L couldn’t help the low sound that passed, muffled, between them when Light instantly responded to him, pinning him against the railing. He smiled against Light’s lips, pressing his fingers down the back of his shirt and caressing the teen’s skin, reflecting as he did that it was almost _scary_ how in tune they were to each other’s moods and desires. _And it hasn’t even been a WEEK since I met him._ That didn’t matter now, though, not when Light’s hands were all over him, lighting him up, searing into him and making his heart pound so erratically.

 

Light’s hand pushed lower, grabbing L’s ass and squeezing it as he finally broke the kiss to mouth his neck. Grinning, “You know, I was absolutely _furious_ that you would dare challenge me in front of the whole world. It was _very_ rude to tell everyone you were going to kill me L. Tsk.”

 

L gasped when Light grabbed his ass, squirming against him and giggling breathlessly when those words were spoken against his neck. “I know,” he breathed, deliberately arching against Light, tilting his head to give him better access. “You _told_ me. But Light, there are many ways to kill a man.”

 

Light’s eyes were flashing but his tone was playful, not actually angry but rather inviting L to play along with him if he wanted to. Licking at L’s lips, “In fact, I was _so_ angry, I’d get off thinking about all the delightful things I wanted to do to L to punish him for _daring_ to make me try.” There had been no challenge before L came along, he’d just been steamrolling the whole world with nothing in his way. Of course, giving Light a challenge was the best present ever; he hated it when things were too easy, because what was the point of winning if you didn’t even have to battle for it?

 

The way Light was teasing him made L giggle again, and as Light continued to speak, he brought his hands back up to press against the teen’s chest, rubbing over the fabric and seeking out the places he _knew_ Light loved to be touched. If Light wanted to tease him with that mouth-watering promise of _punishment_ , L was going to return the favour. It wasn’t _nearly_ the same as full skin on skin, but they weren’t _there_ yet. He grinned, leaning in to nip at Light’s lips in challenge, just to see what he would do.

 

Light kneaded L’s flesh one more time before retracting his hand to slide around the front of his jeans. He pressed it over L’s erection and just held it there. A seductive whisper as he stared into L’s eyes, his thumb just barely grazing over the head of L’s member, “Like how I’d make him swallow every one those nasty words along with my cock. Make him my prize when I defeated him. The great detective L, Kira’s living sex toy begging for the mercy of release. Chained to my bed and ever ready to help me ease the tension of creating a new world. Hmmm. Had some nice times thinking about _that._ ” Light gave him a wicked smile, leaning away and pulling back his teasing hand. “But I guess we’re friends now, and I can’t do any of that, hmm? It’s almost a shame.”

 

L wasn’t disappointed. The press of fingers against him drew a shuddering gasp from him, and he just _stared,_ lips parted in want as Light began to whisper to him about some of the dirty, _kinky_ things he wanted to do, giving him just the _slightest_ hint of stimulation. “ _Shit,_ ” L murmured, pressing into Light’s touch for more friction, fingers tightening into the fabric of Light’s shirt as he tried to tug him back down into a kiss. But Light only pulled away with a grin, and L couldn’t help but glare at him. He knew what was happening here, knew that Light just wanted to hear him beg for it, that he didn’t actually mean it when he said they _couldn’t_ , but it was still a little frustrating when he was hard as hell and just wanted Light to continue _touching_ him.

 

“That’s assuming we’re _friends_ and not… something more.” He grabbed Light’s hand and brought it up to his mouth, eyes never leaving the teen’s as he began to press tiny kisses to his palm and fingers. “That’s assuming that friends can’t have sex.” A wicked smile flashed across his face before he was drawing one of Light’s fingertips into his mouth, suckling gently and nipping before sucking the rest of the digit into his mouth, tongue swirling around it before pulling away, eyes flashing hot at the expression on the teen’s face.

 

A shiver went through Light’s body as L took his hand and brought it to his mouth. His breathing sped, knowing L was aiming right for his weakness to tease him back. _Evil!_ _Evil and perfect._ His own lips parted, eyes hooded in desire as L took his fingers into his mouth and sucked, and Light was throbbing now, feeling uncomfortable in his obviously tented pants.

 

 _Oh_ yes, there was _definitely_ a sort of power that came with seeing how _immediately_ Light responded whenever L teased him with his mouth. His oral fixation had always been a source of discomfort for other people, if the occasional requests to cease his fidgeting were any indication, but when he was around Light... he just wanted to do it _more_. Because seeing Light become so _fixated_ on what he was doing, seeing the physical evidence of his arousal that Light couldn’t hide... L had never been so happy about his annoying little habit, but when Light looked at him like that, it was difficult to want anything more. “And that’s assuming that I don’t _want_ you to do those things to me.” _Kira, please DO._ L repeated that teasing maneuver on another finger before whispering, “If nothing else, I certainly won’t object to you using my _mouth_ again, however you see fit. _Show_ me the error of my ways, _Kira._ ” _How fucked up is it that I REALLY want him to use me like a living sex toy?_

 

Light whispered, “Oh fuck…” He couldn’t tear his eyes away from L’s mouth, not until L said he _wanted_ Light to do those things to him, _wanted_ him to use his mouth. Then his eyes met L’s again, already aflame with lust, but then L called him...

 

_Kira…_

 

Light sucked in a sharp, shuddering breath, and for a moment he just stared at L, amazed at the powerful reaction he was having to such a simple thing. “Yes...” He felt hot and cold, heart hammering adrenaline through his veins as he slid further from _Light Yagami_ and towards his other reality. Kira was not born the moment he picked up the death note. Kira had always been there, the unnamed grasping for power without the means until that day. He was always both, one and the same, but there were partitions there that _only L_ could so easily rip away. Light’s eyes closed, his head falling back with a gratified smile, laughing softly. “Oh I love to hear you call me that, L.” It was everything he’d ever wanted, _dreamed_ of, and the feeling of hearing L whisper his name was indescribable. His finger curled around L’s jaw to grasp his face, Light raising his head and blinking slowly as he pressed back against L.

 

L watched Light’s expression go from simply lust filled to something far more intense. _I knew he’d like me calling him Kira_ , L thought, his own breath speeding up as he watched those last vestiges of the walls between Light and _Kira_ disappear before his eyes, lips parted in anticipation now as he reached to clutch at the railing for support, suddenly weak in the knees. _Damn, I want him so BADLY like this._ His gaze drank in every nuance of Light’s- of _Kira’s_ reaction, a thrill going through him when the teen voiced out loud how much he liked hearing that name. “I don’t want to call you anything else,” he breathed, eyes fluttering closed with a poorly stifled whimper at the way Light pressed against him, feeling the warmth of lips hovering above his like a promise. _If you only knew what that voice does to me_... but maybe Light _did_ know.

 

Light’s voice was silk as he tilted his head, their lips so very close but not touching, “You _wanted_ me to kill him. Not just to give you clues about myself. You wanted to see Kira kill right before your eyes.” _Many ways to kill a man?_ It was like he was seeing that situation with new eyes. Light remembered how animated L had been, taunting him _kill me, come on and kill me!_ It was rare to ever see L _that_ worked up about anything that wasn’t related to sex, although he had to admit he hadn’t seen L in a wide variety of situations other than sex. He smiled at that, but felt his intuition was right anyway.

 

“ _Yes_ ,” L hissed, looking up at Light through his lashes, licking his lips, a small thrill going through him. “I wanted to see that power in action. Not something you planned for me, to taunt me. I wanted to give you a reason to react to _me_ for once. I _needed_ -”

 

Light’s fingers at L’s jaw slid lower, encircling L’s neck and stroking his thumb against that sensitive skin. “Turned you on to see me murder him. To see a power you couldn’t explain.” _Used on someone who deserved it._ His grip slightly tightened, not enough to bruise, but enough for L to feel the restriction.

 

L cut himself off with a strangled moan, eyes widening in pleased anticipation when Light’s fingers slid around his neck again. Shuddering, he let out a defiant laugh, “Tailor deserved it. When I caught him, I wanted to do it _myself_. But I wanted _Kira_ more, so instead, I used Tailor to get closer to him. And did you ever _deliver_.” With a slow grin, L reached up finally to grip Light’s wrist. _You know you want to shut me up, so do it._ “Watching Kira try to kill me... So _brazen_. That was the best orgasm of my _life_.” _At least until I finally MET you and ended up with your hands around my throat for REAL._

 

“Oh, this lying mouth…” Light pressed a kiss to L’s lips as he squeezed, and he was hungry for what L promised.

 

Lips _finally_ met his, and between the overwhelming intensity of the moment and the way Light squeezed fingers around his throat, L couldn’t _breathe_. He didn’t care; just stroked his fingers against Light’s wrist, and melted into the kiss, blinking dazedly when Light finally pulled away.

 

Light thought about guiding L to his knees by the neck, but it would be so much sweeter to see him do it himself. _Or to make him do it._ Light loosened his grip at that wicked thought, sucking L’s bottom lip as they separated. “Get on your knees for _Kira_. I’m going to fuck your throat right on this balcony.”

 

The command grabbed L’s attention, and he sucked in a harsh breath, digging his nails into his palms to pull himself back from the edge. _He really likes doing sexual things to me in semi-public_. He almost did it - hell, he _wanted_ to do it. But if this was supposed to be a _punishment_... “Make me,” he breathed, staring at Light raptly. _Oh, please DO._

 

Light bit his lip as he smiled at L’s defiance, knowing he was doing it on purpose to just inflame him. _You already play this game with me so well._ Angry and aroused, “Such a spoiled _brat._ No one’s ever put you in your place, have they?” And he _loved_ that, craved both the fight and the submission. His fingers clenched again and he spoke soft and deliberate, “Let me oblige then. And _show_ you where your place is before _me_.” He pressed L down, with the force around his neck and another hand in his hair, jerking him forward too until his knees buckled and hit the floor.

 

Being called a _spoiled brat_ was unsurprising, considering he was doing it on purpose, but L _was_ surprised by how much it turned him _on_ to hear Light say it. He merely grinned in satisfaction at the question, before letting out a startled, aroused little yelp when Light pulled him to his knees in front of him.

 

Light paused a moment to stare at L, relishing the moment before releasing his neck and touching his cheek gently. _So you were getting yourself off when I killed Tailor? I should have known it._  His thumb slid between L’s lips as he undid his own pants with the other hand, continuing to whisper softly. “I’ve already killed today, did you know?” Grinning deviously at the admission, he freed his hard cock from his boxers to fall right in front of L’s face. His thumb stroked against L’s tongue, letting him see but not touch yet.

 

Even the rough treatment had a hint of softness and care to it that made him feel _safe._.. but not so safe that it dulled his hormones. No, the way Light was looking at him, _alone,_ was enough to make him throb, and he let out a low moan as Light’s thumb pressed into his mouth, stroking against his tongue in a rather _stimulating_ way. That was _nothing_ compared to the rush of arousal he felt when Light informed him of the kills he’d made, or the way his stomach flipped pleasantly when he reached to touch the erection bobbing so enticingly in front of his face, only to have his hands swatted away. Like Light was saying, ‘look, but you can only touch when I _say_ you can.’ _This truly IS punishment,_ L thought, hands falling instead to clutch at the backs of Light’s thighs, gaze flicking hungrily between his cock and his face, eyes pleading as he closed his lips around the teen’s thumb instead, sucking hard.

 

“I haven’t been doing it at home, no, not since you’ve been spying. I’ve been writing names right out in the open, during my cram courses or even at school.” Light took some sneaky pride in that fact, what he was getting away with under everyone’s noses, even L’s.  “That cafe we went to? I took out half of America’s most wanted list there yesterday.”

 

Of _course_ L knew about _those_ killings; he generally got _all_ of that information as it was discovered, the government agencies around the world knew they had a direct chat line to Watari at all times, and by extension _him_. He hadn’t realized that he had been sitting in the same cafe the killings had taken place in, though, and if he had known… L wasn’t sure what he would’ve done, but he at _least_ probably would have been happy to do whatever Light wanted while there. _Too late for that now._

 

Light grasped his cock, tracing it across L’s lips but holding his head back by the hair. “And do you want to see me kill again, L? I’ll do it for you...show you how.” Light pulled his thumb away with a wet pop, rubbing L’s saliva over the head as he breathed out a hum of pleasure.

 

As he watched Light rubbing his spit over his own cock, L let out a ragged whine, “ _Kira, please-_ ” He gripped Light’s thighs, still unable to actually _move_ , himself, with those fingers still tangled in his hair. It didn’t stop him from flicking his tongue out over the head of Light’s cock, nodding eagerly. He _definitely_ wanted to see how Kira killed. _But not before you use my mouth._

 

Light moaned as he pushed into L’s mouth, slowly filling that wet warm place that he’d been teased with all night, not stopping until he got to the back of L’s throat. “ _Shit…_ ” Both hands moved to L’s hair, steadying his head as Light pulled back and pushed in again with a shudder. He started to thrust in a slow rhythm to build the pleasure, rotating his hips and pushing against his cheeks and tongue. _Not too fast, I want to enjoy this moment._ Breathless, “You’ve...been teasing me all night with that fucking beautiful mouth…”

 

L was _elated_ when Light finally filled his mouth. It was such an _exquisite_ torture, being unable to control the pace, but despite the slow rhythm Light set, he always went so _deep_ , hitting the back of his throat more than a few times. L couldn’t help but moan and squirm, his own pants feeling uncomfortably tight at the way Light complimented his mouth, and he gazed up at him adoringly and swallowed around his cock as much as he could, wanting to make Light feel good.

 

Light sped up, unable to keep from whining as he felt L swallow around him. “F-fuck…” He released one hand to grasp the balcony railing behind L, leaning into the thrusts hard. It was thrilling him to be out in the open, both literally here on the balcony, but exposed as Kira, just as much as L was exposed to him now. He was already unravelling from the luxurious pleasure of L’s mouth, an echo of ‘ _Kira, please…_ playing in his mind. It was a good thing he could grab onto the balcony rail given how shaky he felt, goosebumps and chills whipping over his skin. “S-such a slut...for Kira’s cock aren’t you…”

 

In a brief moment when Light pulled out of his mouth, L found himself moaning at the sharp spike of _want_ that went through him at finally speaking out loud what they both already knew, “Yes, I _love_ having your cock in my mouth. _Please_ give me more?”

 

Light’s hips moved faster, alternating between shallow thrusts and as deep as possible as he stared down into L’s wide eyes. He was trying not to be loud since they were outside, but by the time he was getting close, he didn’t care if all of Tokyo heard him. _No not yet._ Holding off the tension was exquisite torture for him, and he’d pull out of L’s mouth completely to keep from coming too fast, pushing back in as soon as the sharp need passed so he could have _more._ Panting with a grin, “I’m so greedy for you...can’t get enough…”

 

Light could see from the way L looked up at him and his obvious erection that he was enjoying it just as much (well, maybe not _quite_ as much). He stopped thrusting long enough to pull his pants and boxers down completely and pull his shirt away, the moonlight falling on his defined body and giving L better access to touch him. “Are you going to come from this? Like last time?” _Fuck that was hot._ “Take off your pants so I can see.”

 

L’s eyes greedily took in the way Light looked right then, his naked body bathed in moonlight and colour from the neon signs and casting interesting patterns across his skin, and for a moment, L just shuddered in awe that this beautiful young man wanted _him_. Couldn’t get _enough_ of him, he’d said. He quickly shucked out of his jeans and boxers, kicking them away and reaching for the hem of his shirt before glancing back up at Light with a teasing smile, heart pounding hard. “Are you surprised how much it turns me on to have you in my mouth?” Tugging his shirt off, L tossed it to the side as well as Light slid back between his lips.

 

Light _was_ surprised, amazed even how much L seemed to love sucking him, but he was absolutely _not_ going to question it. Especially right now where he was getting such mind-blowing head, unable to think or even concentrate on anything except leaning in for more and more. Light had chalked it up to L’s oral fixation on overdrive, but now wondered if L was hinting there was something more to it. _Later, I’ll ask him later, and about what happened with Tailor._

 

A thought occurred to L, and he found himself letting out a muffled giggle around Light as he trailed one hand up the back of Light’s thigh to squeeze his ass, fingers kneading against the flesh while he pressed his tongue to the underside of the teen’s cock, letting Light’s own thrusts do most of the work for him. He brought his other hand around to slink up Light’s leg, playing with his balls, a devious smile stretching his lips even as Light fucked his mouth.

 

Light’s grip in L’s hair clenched as he felt hands squeezing him, playing with his body, making him groan and nod for more. He gave L a knowing smirk as he slightly widened his stance, the wicked smile on L’s lips making him return it and wonder what L was thinking right now. _I bet I know._

 

L shifted to a half crouch as Light gripped his hair again, letting out a muffled moan around the teen’s cock when he widened his stance for him. _He knows what I want to do,_ L thought, panting harshly in anticipation and he smiled around the length in his mouth, hollowing his cheeks for better suction as he bobbed his head to meet Light’s thrusts, inwardly thrilling at the realization that _he WANTS me to do it._

 

Light teased, “Go ahead and do it, coward.” He took L’s hand and sucked a finger, twirling his tongue around it to slick it well before dropping it again. He laughed but broke back into soft panting moans, knowing that if L _did_ start fingering him, well that would probably be the end of him and he couldn’t do much but hold onto the balcony while L finished him off. Light’s fist was gripping the balcony tightly again, anticipating the invasion he would have punched anyone else for even suggesting. But from L? He couldn’t _wait_.

  
Arousal curled through L and made him throb when Light called him ‘coward’, and he brought his spit slick finger to trail lightly down the teen’s balls, stroking at Light’s perineum before circling his entrance teasingly. He stared up through his bangs at Light, just enjoying the way the teen was panting and moaning above him for a moment before pressing his finger in shallowly.

 

Light whimpered as he felt the wet finger circling him, teasing. It was the first time anyone had touched him like that, and the tickle made him giggle slightly, impressed that L’s finger could follow him through his increasingly erratic thrusts. His eyes screwed shut and he gasped slightly when he was penetrated, pulsing precum into L’s mouth as he shuddered. “More!” It was a more of a command than a request, and he arched into L’s mouth as the long finger slid deeper.

 

Light’s reaction to that testing penetration pulled a muffled whimper from L, and it was all the encouragement he needed to press in more fully, carefully, trying to keep Light distracted from any potential discomfort with his mouth. _Oh FUCK,_ he thought to himself, throbbing from that issued command, and humming out a low laugh when he remembered the lube that was still in his jacket... in the hotel room. _Oops. We really should have known better._

 

It was a new, odd feeling, but the slight flash of pain perfectly mixed with the intense pleasure to break Light’s resolve completely, unable to hold back as he pounded L’s mouth fast and hard, coming with a broken cry, “ _L_!” His hips jutted forward to pin L’s head to the railing, clenching hard on his finger.

 

The intensity of Light’s reaction to L’s probing finger, quite frankly, surprised him, and he found himself clenching the fingers of his free hand around the back of Light’s thigh as he swallowed him down, harsh little grunts of pleasure escaping him. He couldn’t _move_ , but even though it hurt a bit to have Light pinning him to the railing, the way the teen just _completely_ fell apart for him _more_ than made up for it, each pulse down his throat sending another wave of pleasure through him until he couldn’t take it anymore. _Thank god I have no gag reflex,_ L thought, after that particularly vigorous thrust left his eyes watering and his body trembling with the need to _come, oh god, please let me come!_ Scraping his nails down the back of Light’s thigh, L squirmed, reaching down to fist his own throbbing erection, only needing a few erratic strokes before he was coming apart as well, moaning loudly around Light and shuddering from the intensity of it all.

 

Light was trembling as his hips finally stilled, feeling the last twitches of his release pulse into L’s mouth and be swallowed. “Oh god…” He was half-slumped over the balcony rail when he opened his eyes, seeing the city below them and dizziness hitting him hard. He closed his eyes again, unable to move for the moment. “That was so amazing…thank you...”

 

 _Jesus,_ L thought dazedly to himself, removing his finger carefully from Light’s ass and pushing the teen slightly away, just enough so he could gasp for breath, working his aching jaw before giggling. “Was that your first time?” L asked, voice hoarse, grinning up at the dazed teen. He was flushed and panting still as he stroked one hand against Light’s ass, bringing his other hand up to lick his own fingers clean. “Haven’t you ever... fingered yourself before?” _That was ridiculously hot to see him come apart like that._

 

Light blinked a few times as he came back to himself, moving back slightly when he felt L’s hands push him away from the spot he’d pinned him in. He exhaled hard and rolled away, turning his body so he could lean back on railing, a huge smile on his face. L was saying something but it all sounded muffled and he wasn’t sure if he had it in him to use coherent speech right now even if he’d heard him. If the floor of the balcony weren’t concrete, he might have laid down right there and fallen asleep, but he didn’t want to sleep now anyway, he just felt so boneless right now it was a definite possibility.

 

When L repeated himself, Light rubbed his face and looked down in a daze. _Already asking me questions? I guess it is L after all._ “Hmmm? Oh uh...no, I haven’t. The idea never really appealed until…” He giggled, still feeling a slight ache back there, “...until it was _you_ who was offering.” Light held out a hand to help L to his feet, just embracing him in a comfortable way as he kissed his cheek and jaw. “Hope that’s not too sore.”

 

L couldn’t help but giggle again, pleased by the way Light seemed to need a minute to come to his senses. _If that’s not a testament to my skills, I don’t know what is,_ he thought, reaching up to take Light’s hand and leaning comfortably against him, enjoying the kisses. “I’ll live.”

 

Light’s heart was still hammering and this grin just wouldn't leave, but he didn’t care what a slutty mess he must look like. This was absolutely perfect. “So, have you? You certainly seem to know exactly what you’re doing to me.” Light laughed, wondering what kind of porn he’d watched to learn all his techniques. “You’ll have to share your secrets with me.” He was thirsty as hell, and knew that L had to be feeling it even worse. “There’s still a soda in that bag, it’s all yours.” Water was all he really wanted, or maybe something from room service later.

 

“If you _really_ want to know my secrets, how about we go back inside first, get us _both_ some water,” L murmured, trying to work some moisture into his mouth. He could _feel_ his face flushing a little more at that, and he hoped Light didn’t notice the deepening colour. “It’s cold now that we’re not…” A grin, and he leaned in to kiss Light briefly, heart fluttering madly when he pulled back. The thought of explaining where some of his… _secrets_ had been learned wasn’t something he wanted to do while parched and shivering, and he wasn’t really sure how Light would react in the _first_ place.

 

He knelt down to scoop up their clothes and tilted his head for Light to follow, throwing a wistful glance around the balcony before going back into the room. There was no chance in hell he was going to be able to get this out of his mind, and L knew he’d miss it when he had to leave. _But this time, you know for a fact you can have this closeness with him again._ “You’re welcome, by the way.” The smile that broke through his wistfulness was happy as he deposited the clothes onto the bed, and he made a beeline for the kitchen to get them some water. “Watching you fall apart like that…” A shiver went through him and he turned to Light, smile widening. “ _Perfect._ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The sarin attack in the Tokyo subway Light describes is a reference to a real event which took place in 1995. We moved it up 10 years for this contemporary AU.  
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokyo_subway_sarin_attack
> 
> Sorry about the long chapter, but we couldn’t have more than two smutless chapters in a row T_T We are not that cruel.


	19. Flexibility

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> L spills some secrets of his own, and both he and Light discuss how to compromise going forward.

Light was deeply curious now as he followed him inside to get out of the cold night air, giving L a puzzled look in response to his cryptic remark about ‘secrets.’ He closed the sliding door behind him, going into the kitchen too to get a drink. He twisted the cap off the water and drank it hungrily, gradually feeling more grounded with hydration and the warmth of the room. He tossed the empty bottle into the trash, stretching his arms and arching his back to relieve the tension of the day. “You’ve got me curious now about those secrets. As many as I’ve spilled today, it’s the _least_ you can do.” The fridge didn’t have anything else but water in it, so if they wanted anything real to eat or drink, they’d have to order it.

 

The hotel room wasn’t fancy but it was extremely cozy and clean. Light was anxious to fall onto the soft-looking bed (a Western-style bed!) but wasn’t going to do it filthy. He smiled at the state of them both, sticky and mussed, L with the remnants of wiped-away cum on his chest. “We need a shower, or maybe a bath?” He walked over to the open door of the bathroom, peeking inside. “Oooh, a jacuzzi tub.” It was recessed into the floor and currently empty, but that sounded absolutely divine, and would give them a chance to recharge and talk a little longer about any more questions regarding Kira. _Or where L learned to suck cock like that._

 

“I think we need a little more than just a _bath_ , I didn’t get to finish my dessert and I’m hungry again. I’m guessing you might want something, too?” L quipped teasingly, slipping into the bathroom and starting the water running. He took another guzzle of water, sighing as the cold water soothed his throat a little, and looked up at Light from his crouch with a giggle, remembering what had happened the _last_ time they’d ordered room service. “Though maybe we should wait until we’re _done_ in here before we order anything tonight. So…”

 

Light laughed because of course L was hungry again. “Well, I’m 0-2 on getting to enjoy any chocolate mousse. The first time was straight-up denial, the second time I finally got some and then got it slapped out of my mouth.” He rubbed his jaw, thinking that Misa was a lot stronger than she looked. “I’m starting to think the universe has decided I just shouldn’t have some.” He wandered into the bathroom too, nodding that they should wait until after a bath to order this time. Light didn’t feel like having to rush to the door half naked again and give a stranger an eyeful.

 

L was silent for a long moment, mood deflating slightly when Light brought up Misa. “I’ll have to make sure that’s the first thing you get when you join the task force,” he said, smiling softly, attempting to make him feel better. “Watari makes a _very_ good chocolate mousse, I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.” L turned away again to start rummaging through the bottles beside the tub, opening each one and sniffing before setting them aside. “As for questions… you may have to be a little more specific about what you want to know. Ask me anything.” Another sniff, and he smiled to himself before pouring some of the liquid into the running water, and a fresh, minty scent began to permeate the room. “As for your earlier question… yes, I _have_ actually fingered myself before. Not all the time, but many times before, and…” A slightly embarrassed laugh left him, and he looked back at Light meaningfully, smiling. “Much _more_ often since I took this case. I wasn’t just saying it to get you _hot_ when I told you I fucked myself to you last night.”

 

Light leaned against the counter as L filled the tub and rummaged in the soaps, a little smirk playing on his lips as L told him to be specific. _Now this kind of interrogation will be much more fun._ Light definitely liked the idea that the Kira case had brought about...new interests in L. “Hmmm. Well, I’m certainly interested to know how you learned to suck cock like that. You told me in the cafe that it was your first time doing something like that.” _Or maybe he just meant his first blind date or random hookup._ “Have you been with other people before?” Light hadn’t come out and _asked_ that in the cafe since it seemed rude, but his intuition and L’s hinting remarks suggested he hadn’t, same as Light.

 

L blinked at Light’s first question, and then smirked slightly. “I can see you’ve got your priorities straight. But… no. I already said that you were my first. Until Friday, I had never been on a date, blind or otherwise, never been kissed, never even really been _touched_ by another person in any sexual or romantic way.” Turning away to swirl his fingers in the water, L sighed. _Or really even in a comforting or platonic way._ “I’m going to take it as a compliment that you’re questioning the truthfulness of that statement. And I can say with complete sincerity that I have never had _another_ man’s cock in my mouth before Friday night.” _Wonder if he’ll catch what I did there._

 

Light turned and caught sight of himself in the mirror, flushing slightly with the state of himself and with L’s dodging words. ‘ _Another man’s’...he seems to be purposefully leaving something out._ “Well, I love to touch you. Mostly in filthy ways, but still.” He pushed off the counter and embraced L from behind, pressing against him and smelling sex on his skin once more before it was washed away. “I love the mental image of you fucking yourself, thinking about me. That’s incredibly hot, don’t be embarrassed.”

 

L was silent for a long moment after that, chewing on his bottom lip and debating on how to phrase the truth in a way that wouldn’t have Light scoffing at him, only to be startled by the feeling of arms encircling him. _Oh… I like it when he does that._ Smiling to himself, L whispered, “Is that what you want to do when I show you how sexy you looked, jerking off for me? Watch me do to myself what I did last night?”

 

“I...yes, please.” Light’s brain was whirring with all this tantalizing information, veiled in hints and innuendo. He glanced over L’s shoulder and saw the tub was mostly full. “Ready to get in?” Light kissed his neck as he checked to see if the bruise was worse; luckily he hadn’t squeezed too hard this time, and there was only some flushing, not more bruising.

 

The feeling of lips on his neck never failed to make L feel good, and to distract himself, he turned the water off and pulled out of the embrace carefully, slipping into the water and settling against the side with a low groan. “I think you might be surprised by all the things I can do. I’m… _very_ flexible. You haven’t seen the half of it, yet.” He gave Light a slow smile and reached out, beckoning him forward into the tub with him.

 

Light cocked an eyebrow and slid into the water with an amused chuckle. _Flexible? What’s he getting at?_ Settling against the opposite end of the tub, he draped his arms on the sides and let out a long contented sigh when it dawned on him. _Ohhhh, that’s what he meant by ‘another man’s cock’ in his mouth. Damn!_ “L...you don’t have to beat around the bush here. Don’t you think if _I_ could do that, I would?” He grinned, not feeling embarrassed at all because what was the point? Light _wanted_ to explore all their fantasies together, even or especially the perverted ones, so talking about sex didn’t bother him a bit. _Actually, it’s pretty hot to think about L doing that to himself. I wonder if he’d show me sometime._ But he didn’t want to press L if he did feel a little shy.

 

Light reached under the water and took L’s foot in his hand, caressing his leg and massaging his insole. Sayu had taught him some of her funny notions about how all the tension in your body can be relieved by pressure points in your foot, and he gently pressed a few of them now. He didn’t subscribe to her reflexology theories, but had been a guinea pig of hers long enough to know it just felt good.

 

L let out a soft, pleased sound when Light reached for his foot and began rubbing. “Ohhh, that feels nice. Where’d you learn _that?_ ” he said, eyes fluttering closed at the calming effect it had on him.

 

“I wasn’t questioning your truthfulness, it was just...I mean you’re so damn _good_ at it.” Light shrugged and laughed, splashing a little water at L. “Believe me, whatever practice you got in, I’m only thanking my lucky stars for it.”

 

L ducked when Light splashed water at him, laughing at the futility of the gesture before splashing back playfully, sinking a little lower into the water.

 

Light giggled and went back to rubbing L’s foot under the warm water. “I learned this from Sayu, does it feel good?” Light moved both thumbs to a pressure point supposedly connected to the back muscles, pressing in circles as she’d done to him. “She’s quite taken with Chinese reflexology, has a big chart up on her wall next to her soap stars of all the pressure points in the foot.” He stroked the ball of his thumb down L’s arch and pressed in the center of his heel. _Pelvis, heh._ “She insists on practicing on my mother and me. I don’t mind really, although I don’t believe in it. Feels nice though.”

 

“It really _does_ feel quite nice, Light,” L said softly, chuckling at the description Light gave. He had heard of the practice, though he’d never bothered to look into it much. Truthfully, he hadn’t really been taking care of himself too well the last couple years; Watari nagged him about his diet, of course, but didn’t always do much to enforce healthy eating habits, and while he usually practiced capoeira almost every day, when he got super-involved in a case (like he had done with this case), his daily exercise tended to be the first habit to fall by the wayside. He had never bothered to do anything about the chronic pain that had been steadily building up in his shoulders and neck from being constantly hunched over computer screens, and it wasn’t until Friday night that he’d gotten any relief from it… and now, here Light was, massaging his feet out of the blue, presumably simply because he _wanted_ to. It was enough to make him feel a little bit (okay, maybe a _lot_ ) lovestruck. And it _did_ feel amazing. The way Light was pressing his thumb into his heel felt _particularly_ good, and he squirmed, a low whimper leaving his mouth at the sensations.

 

“I might have to find out what each pressure point is supposed to be, and _do,_  because I think it might actually work,” L said, breathing in heavily. “Might just depend on how good one is with their hands. Because you are _fantastic_ with yours.” In fact, arousal aside, he was feeling more relaxed than he had felt in years. _I could stay like this forever,_ he thought, eyes drifting almost completely shut, a tiny, contented smile on his lips. Warm, safe, feeling as spoiled and pampered as a… well, as royalty, maybe.

 

Light smiled to see L relaxing under his touch. “Yes, yes, Chinese medicine is great, as are your skills at flattery, but don’t think I’m letting you change the subject.”

 

L let his head fall back against the tub as he laughed, and it felt _good_. “I just wanted to see if you could figure it out,” he pointed out, grinning gleefully. “Though I wasn’t exactly _trying_ to be subtle. Would you like to watch sometime?” _What are you doing?_ He was actually a little surprised that he’d _offered_. It wasn’t like he was ashamed of it, most guys would gladly kill to be able to suck their own dick, but it still wasn’t something that he had ever meant to be seen. Still, the idea of showing off was quite… Letting out a breathy huff, L adopted an innocent tone. “You’ve already given me _two_ free shows, it would be rude of me to not reciprocate. Show you first-hand how I got so damn _good_ at it. Thank you for that.”

 

Light looked across the tub at L as he rubbed, grinning eagerly at the offer to watch, “Well hell _yes_ I want to watch. If you didn’t offer I might have…” His eyes narrowed, a smirk crossing his lips as his voice dropped to a sultry tone. “...I might have _made_ you do it.” He licked up L’s foot, sucking his littlest toe for a moment. Licking it innocently, nonchalantly, “I still might.” _I want that show now L._ “I want to see what you did last night, watching me. But only if I get to fuck you afterwards.” A wicked smile, “Or during.” He was quite interested to see that video too. _I hope it was as hot as I meant it to be._ “Because now that you’ve told me how _flexible_ you are, I can’t help but want to test that out.”

 

The sultry way Light spoke was making L’s stomach flip, and he watched with parted lips and tingling skin as the teen _oh so casually_ licked at his foot, trying not to squirm. He couldn’t quite tell if he _wanted_ Light to turn him on right now, or if he was too worn out from earlier. _I… no, I hope he doesn’t make me do it right now, I need a little bit of a breather before I do THAT._

 

Light stopped rubbing and turned to press the button to start the jacuzzi jets, groaning and shifting his back as a few sputtered to life right behind him. _Weren’t we supposed to be talking about Kira?_ That thought made him giggle, “You’re one to talk about priorities. L finally gets Kira to admit who he is and all he wants to do is get off.”

 

L found himself giggling at Light’s comments, both about the videos, and then bringing up Kira.  “Mhmm… All I’m hearing is it sounds like you’re going to want multiple sessions with me and those videos of you, _just_ so you can have me in all of the ways you want me. I won’t complain about that. Perhaps Kira will kill me after _all,_  just with too much sex?”

 

Light laughed harder, bringing L’s foot to his mouth and biting his big toe softly. “Did all the serious questions fly right out the end of your dick a moment ago? Not that I’m complaining. This is much more fun.” _But of course I had to be an ass and point it out._

 

A soft gasp left him when Light bit at his toe, and L stared, unexpectedly liking that image. Softly, he murmured, “ _That_ felt good, as well. And I _do_ want to know about Kira. I want to know _everything._ I just… I also can’t help how much you turn me on, Light.”

 

Light’s fingers paused at that, feeling happy, warm and wanted for _himself_ , not some avatar of Light Yagami that everyone else saw. “If Kira kills you with sex I promise it would be completely unintentional.” He grinned, taking L’s other foot and rubbing it the same way. “Plus, I’d be the most sincere mourner at your funeral.” A faux dramatic tone, “How will I live without that mouth?! Cruel world showing me utopia and then snatching it away!” He laughed harder now, rippling the water, and it felt good to joke with L like this. That they could have fun and be silly meant as much to Light as all the great sex too, because he rarely got to laugh with anyone else.

 

L’s eyes shot open again when Light started teasing him, and he couldn’t help grinning widely before playfully kicking at Light under the water, giggling madly, “Oh, _hush_ , you, I don’t think my mouth is _that_ spectacular.” _And I would like to think you would miss me for more than just my mouth._ Still, he recognized the joke for what it was.

 

Clutching the edge of the jacuzzi, L pushed himself up and leaned forward. “Now that you’ve reminded me, though, there _is_ something I’m dreadfully curious to know. That bit of the notebook that you used to let me see Ryuk… you said that’s only a piece from this _death_ note, correct? But does it retain _all_ of the same properties, or does it only allow people to see the shinigami?” _Would it still work if you wrote a name on it, or does the page have to be intact to take effect? Probably still works the same way, but I need to know if I can get him to demonstrate it for me later._

 

Light sobered up slightly when L started to ask questions about Kira again, happy to answer them. “The scrap retains all the power of the original death note, just with limited space obviously. I don’t keep it in my watch to show Ryuk to people, L. I keep in there in case I _need_ it for what it’s meant for. To kill.”

 

“It does?” L’s gaze sharpened with interest at that tidbit of information, and he smiled. _Perfect._ “I suspected as much. Do you often carry around pieces of the death note, or just that one?”

 

“Often? Always. And just the one scrap hidden on my person. I’ll take the whole notebook with me if I think I’ll need it.” _Stuffed down my pants, usually._ Light did get a little thrill from having it in public, even when he didn’t think he’d need it.

 

L leaned forward into Light’s space now, his breath coming a little ragged as he asked eagerly, “Then… would you… show me how it works?” Hearing the details was all well and good, but it was still all theoretical at this point. A thought occurred to him, and he pulled back slightly as he asked, much more quietly now, “Did you keep it on you to… kill _me?_  If we had met under different circumstances, I mean, if you found out my name.” Actually, that seemed very likely. No-one, not even L himself, would have suspected Light’s fiddling with his watch to be what might one day have been L’s death. “Or was it meant for someone else?”

 

Light got very quiet, the easy smile on his face fading as L asked him what the original purpose of the scrap of death note had been. _Does that matter now?_ He didn’t want to lie about it, there was no point in that, but it felt like archaeology, trying to dig up past layers of his old motivations that were irrelevant, fossilized. Quietly, “Yes, it was for you.” He released L’s foot, turning stony-faced to take some soap and start to clean himself up. _If that’s what you want to know, I’ll tell you._ Rubbing the soap over his body, “Why do you think I kept Misa around, pretended to be her boyfriend, let her abuse and threaten me? Because I thought my life was in danger from you.” He rinsed the suds away, lathering his hair, “She made a deal with her shinigami for half her life span, to be able to see people’s names by looking at their faces. I thought one day she might see yours, and then I’d need to write it right away.” It wasn’t pleasant to admit these things, but it was in the past now wasn’t it? All that was before he knew L, before he knew any of this. Still, it was uncomfortable, because the last thing he wanted was for L to die. Wasn’t everything he’d done tonight proof of it?

 

 _Damn it, I keep messing this up_. L bit his lip. His good mood had already dipped when he’d asked the question, but now, watching Light turn away and shut down, giving him all the blunt details and harsh truths about what was going on, what would happen if the investigation continued… he regretted asking - not only that, he should have known _better_.

 

Light dunked under the water, twisting his head to wash the shampoo out, then came back up. Rubbing his eyes, he met L’s again. Feeling a little defensive, “You tell me now you wanted to find me for your _own_ interests, but all those FBI agents...they would have exposed me, killed me if they had the chance. Each and every member of the team that answers to you would do the same.” That fear crept up again, his pulse quickening with it. “I’m not using the scrap on you, you’re safe from me. But none of the others are, as long as they keep trying to stop me.” He looked away, feeling a little uncomfortable now remembering that even if L didn’t want him dead, plenty of other people still did.

 

 _I told you I wasn’t very good with people, Light._ “Light….I’m sorry,” L said softly, swallowing past the lump that had formed in his throat. “I didn’t mean to upset you. But… I thought this was..” He stopped, frowning as he slumped back against the side of the tub, staring down at the water as he tried to put his thoughts into some order before speaking them. Finally, he said in a tiny voice “I… don’t really know how to explain, but the FBI agents… I regret ever bringing them on. Truthfully, I would _never_ have made that move on my own. It was… heavily suggested to me, that I use every resource at my disposal, and…” He sighed, bringing his knees up to his chest and resting his chin on them, unable to look at the teen. “But… when it comes right down to it, the final decision _is_ mine, so I guess it’s still on me. I’m so sorry.”

 

Trailing his fingers in the water, L took a steadying breath before saying softly, “I told you earlier I wanted to invite you to the task force. Even though I pretty much accused you of being Kira. Now that I know you _are..._ I want you there even more.” He finally looked back up, eyes shining, wordlessly begging Light to hear him out. “If I keep you close, I’m _sure_ we can come up with a way to keep us both safe. From everyone, _all_ factions. We can figure out a way to get you away from Misa _without_ giving away who you are to the wrong people, and without letting them know that I’m protecting you. Continuing forward as Kira _does_ put both of us in a sticky situation, but neither of us are strangers to adapting on the fly, and that plan will definitely require a lot of flexibility.” A soft smile, “And I don’t think _either_ of us want you to stop being Kira. But I will probably need to deliver a Kira to avoid making Interpol suspicious.” _Ugh, Interpol can bite me._

 

Light turned back to look at L, digesting what he was saying. “You’d protect me?” His brow furrowed, and he was both surprised and deeply moved. Because he hadn’t asked for that, for protection or safety, but here L was offering it freely. He smiled faintly, pushing aside the depressing thoughts from before. “Honestly...that would be very dangerous for you, for L. Even if you’re calling the shots, I’m sure Interpol is breathing down your neck about me.” He swallowed hard, looking down at the sudsy bath water. “This is my mess, it would be unfair to tangle you up in it when it could mean your career, maybe even your life.”

 

His eyes went wide and he brought his hands up, “Not from _me_ , that’s not what I meant. But if I were captured…” He grit his teeth, this was the one thing that truly scared him. Liquid amber eyes met L’s wide grey ones, “If they find me, I know what they’d do.” _Torture me until I told them how I did it. Execute me in secret like a war criminal, a traitor. Or worse, keep me alive as a weapon they want to understand and use._ “I can’t expose anyone else to that risk. I’m selfish, L, but I always knew I’d be a martyr for this, eventually.” A little quieter, “Maybe not next week or next year, but one day they’ll find me. And I can go on with that knowledge, because it will just be _me.”_

 

He sighed, holding out a hand to take L’s. “If I didn’t care about you, if I still wanted you dead, I’d say ‘yes, take me to the task force and protect me.’” _But I do care about you._ “I can’t ask you to do that. You’ve worked your whole life to be L, haven’t you?” Light wasn’t sure what to ask for, all of it seemed like too much. Even if L did nothing, he would be tacitly letting Kira go, and if he did _something_ he’d be risking his own life for Light.

 

He moved forward in the water, closer to L to curl around him. “You’re right though, I can’t--won’t-- give it up. It’s what I was meant for, and you can laugh at me for that if you want.” He smiled too, knowing how ludicrous all of it seemed from the outside. “But I won’t put _you_ in danger, because I’m pretty sure I couldn’t live with myself if what I was doing got you killed.”

 

Even though L could understand the sentiment behind everything Light was saying, he couldn’t help but pout at him, wrapping his arms around Light and resting his chin against the teen’s shoulder. Softly, he said, “Look... I won’t pretend to know absolutely everything about what you’re doing, and how it all works, but I understand perfectly how things work from my end. I know what you’re afraid of. I know because I have been living for over _ten years_ the way you’re learning to live now, hiding my true identity under a facade when I have to, only safe to be who I truly am when I’m alone.” He pulled back slightly, snorting. “I’ve worked my whole life to be L, maybe, but that doesn’t mean a damn thing when even _I_ can’t keep every criminal locked away. Any case I take could potentially be the one that ends my life. I’ll admit, this is the first case I’ve taken where I’ve shown myself to people as L, but there’s still no way to tell what will finally do me in. I like you, a _terrifying_ amount for how short a time we’ve really known each other, and I care what happens to you, but I’m not naive enough to pretend that your life as Kira is going to be any easier than mine has been. What I _am_ saying is…”

 

He reached his hands up to frame Light’s face, searching his eyes again before smiling slightly and saying in a soft, fierce voice, “What I’m _saying_ is that I know how to play this game. We don’t have to make these decisions tonight. In fact, considering how late it is, we really _shouldn’t_ be making these decisions tonight. And I need a lot more information before we proceed, anyway. But… you aren’t _letting_ me do anything. You don’t have to _ask_ me to do _anything._ I offered.” L leaned forward to kiss him fiercely, before whispering against his mouth, “Besides...I couldn’t live with _my_ self if I could have helped you, and instead I sat and watched while you got yourself killed over your cause. Don’t you _dare_ ask me to just idly sit by and let you run headlong into danger while I stay _safe_.”

 

Light grinned into the kiss, knowing that L was just as stubborn as he was and wouldn’t be dissuaded from anything he’d gotten into his mind to do, danger be damned. He was still smiling when L pulled back, breathing out, “Well, I don’t _plan_ on getting killed.” He buried his face in L’s neck, laughing softly, “Of course I want your help. Kira and L together? We’d be unstoppable.” _We really would._ His fingers clenched around L’s wet skin as he raised his head to look into L’s eyes, whispering it again, “ _Unstoppable._ ” Because who could stand in their way? Until Kira had come along, had any case truly stumped L? And before L, had Kira had any challenger at all? They were each other’s only peers, and not for lack of the whole world trying to best or match them. It was a brilliant thought, a terrifying thought, and it gave Light a thrill because he _knew_ it was true. Not that it would be easy to hide and dodge, to try to get out of all the complex situations they were both in so they could use this power freely. But Light didn’t want easy, he never had.

 

He straddled L’s lap, sliding up against him in the water and leaning down to kiss him languorous and slow. Their tongues intertwined, not fighting for the moment but enjoying the other, mutual surrender and truce.

 

“ _Unstoppable_.” That word whispered into L’s skin felt like a promise, and he couldn’t help the frisson of desire that went through him as Light straddled his lap, his mind full of _possibilities_ and the immediate satisfaction and thrill that was Light’s kiss. _We truly COULD be unstoppable. I with the power of the law behind me, and Kira with the promise of retribution for those that would defy that law anyway, those who would hurt other people just because they could_. The thought was incredible, setting a low, liquid thrum of arousal through him, only heightened by the way Light was pressing against him, though it didn’t have that hard edge of _need_ that had been present on the balcony.

  
A new plan was starting to form in Light’s mind, but it was intersecting with so many other possibilities. By the time he pulled away, he nodded in agreement, “Yes, tonight isn’t the night to figure out every detail.” He was feeling better though, felt safe with L, and Light had not felt safe in months. _Not that I’d trade it though, not that I’d change anything._ He pulled in a deep breath, squeezing L once more before moving away. “Maybe we should order something now, it seems sex and scheming gives me an appetite.” He smiled and stepped out of the tub, wrapping a towel around his waist. Flashing L a smile, there was some warmth inside him too from L’s words. _I like you too._


	20. A Dish Served Cold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Light finally gets to see for himself the extent of L’s flexibility. L has a special request for Kira to take care of a personal vendetta.

L smiled slowly up at Light, grateful for the smile he received in return. The mild disappointment he felt when Light pulled away from their embrace in the tub was far outweighed by the feeling of contentment over the understanding they seemed to have reached, and he couldn’t help but chuckle at Light’s comment. _Despite the oddity of our relationship, it HAS followed its own logic, I suppose. Attraction and connection on our first meeting, realization and revelation over the last three days, and acceptance and discovery tonight._

  
  
“Yes, food now,” L teased, laughing as his gaze followed Light’s movements, before ducking under the water, getting his hair thoroughly soaked before grabbing one of the nicer looking soaps and setting rapidly to the task of cleaning himself off. He had perhaps been too preoccupied by Light to do it, but now that he wasn’t distracted... “If you want to place the order while I get cleaned up, any dessert is fine for me... so long as you specify that I would like lots of extra cherries, please.”

 

 _Lots of cherries?_ Light paused in the door to give L a little smirk, “Maybe just a huge bowl of cherries? But then you really would turn me in if there wasn’t cake to go with it.”

 

L smiled innocently at the expression on Light’s face and began rubbing sudsy hands into his hair, working out the tangles and ducking under the water again to rinse before poking through the various bottles again. He’d seen a conditioner in there before…

 

Light chuckled quietly as he wandered into the bedroom and looked in the nightstand for the room service menu. _Well, this is the proof that L trusts me, he’s letting me order his sweets._ The pressure was on to choose a dessert that L would love, and he scanned through the menu until something popped out. _Strawberry shortcake with chocolate-covered strawberry mochi?_ That sounded as good as it was going to get. Cherries didn’t come with that but he’d just order some on the side.

 

He sat on the edge of the bed as he dialed the room service line. “Yes, this is room 316. I’d like to order...the strawberry shortcake, the chocolate mousse layer cake, the edamame, a bowl of cherries WITH the stems, and a pot of tea.” He rolled his eyes as he heard the response on the other end. “Yes, a bowl of nothing but cherries, is that a problem? No, not fresh ones, the ones that have been soaked in that sugary red mess. Yes, those. Alright, thanks.” Light hung up the phone, smiling in anticipation of finally seeing L’s notorious stem-tying trick. He hoped that L would approve of his choice of dessert too, but he’d leave it for a surprise. _And maybe I can eat my mousse in peace this time._

 

Light went back into the bathroom and saw that L was just about done washing up. “Nice thing about ordering in the middle of the night is we won’t have to wait long. 15 minutes.” He took a fresh towel and held it open for L. “Plenty of cherries coming, although I had to insist that they be the candied type and not fresh ones. Hope that’s what you wanted.”

 

L looked over with a smile and stood up, having already pulled the plug to let the water start draining. He laughed a little, squeezing the excess water from the ends of his hair as he responded, “Well, fresh cherries would have been good, too, but I _do_ much prefer the maraschino cherries with dessert, so thank you.”

 

That done, he stepped out of the tub and into the towel Light held open for him, cheeks flushing slightly again as he pressed a kiss to his mouth. “You’re spoiling me _so_ much, Light,” he murmured, a huff of laughter escaping him before he took the ends of the towel and wrapped it around his waist. “I’m _really_ not... used to feeling like this.” Taking a step around Light, L reached for his hand and tugged him along into the bedroom. “So… we’ve got fifteen minutes to kill. Anything you want to do, or can I… get a demonstration?” If he sounded a little... excited by that, he almost _hoped_ Light would comment.

 

Light smiled at L’s eagerness. “Fifteen minutes to _kill?_ ” He chuckled as he walked over to his discarded clothes, picking them up and hanging them in the closet out of force of habit. He’d taken his watch off in the bathroom, and he’d need that if L was asking to see what he thought he was. “It would be my pleasure to show you.” He reached in and grabbed his watch from the counter, going back to flop on the bed. “I need to keep the face of a person in mind while I write their name. That usually means checking up on what the news is covering on TV or the internet, but…” A devious expression crossed his features, “...maybe L has a special request? Somebody you’d like to disappear?” He moved behind where L was crouching on the bed, opening his watch in front of him to reveal the scrap of the death note. There was about enough room to write two names on each side if he wrote small, or one name with some extra ‘circumstances.’

 

For once, L hadn’t _meant_ to make a bad pun, but he grinned at the slip like he’d meant it, either way. _He’s going to show me how it works. I better make this worth it._ “One sec,” he breathed, flushing when Light gave him _that_ look, and he scrambled for his coat, still heaped over the foot of the bed. “I need my phone. I know _exactly_ who to choose.” He was aware of Light’s eyes on him as he scrolled through his pictures, finally landing on the face he was looking for, the expression on his face immediately turning stony. “This guy… has been behind some of the worst crimes in recent American history, but no-one will touch him,” L said softly, eyes flashing with cold fury as he stared down at the picture on his phone before turning the phone to Light. “More money than god, the best lawyers, and a PR team that would put Amane’s to shame, considering how many rape charges, _alone,_ he’s managed to bury over the years. Extortion, drug trafficking… and everyone seems to believe his reputation in the media is _real_ and not fabricated to Hell and back.”

 

He paused and said, “And he’s got a prominent enough social life that I can monitor the gossip feeds for any news concerning his wellbeing.”

 

Light took a good long look at the face on L’s phone, frowning at the description of his crimes. “I’d offer to let you do the honors yourself, but there’s...perhaps some complications with using the death note you’d rather avoid.” Ryuk had told him in the beginning that humans that used the death note would never see heaven nor hell, although Light had doubts that the shinigami believed in either. _Plus, he admitted early on there’s much he doesn’t know about the rules of the note._ Ryuk had also said that users were cursed with unhappiness, but that wasn’t a rule, just an observation. Looking at L now, Light already knew that wasn’t going to be the case with him.

 

 _Complications?_ L watched Light’s face carefully as the teen studied the picture, curious what Light meant. _Maybe he’ll elaborate?_

 

Light’s heart was beating hard, he could hardly believe that _L_ was feeding him a name and a face, offering it up to Kira on a platter. He exhaled a soft breath as he memorized both the face and the name. “Chad Truize….” _What a dumb name._ He’d had difficulties killing celebrity criminals in the past because they often used aliases, and sometimes their real names were not public knowledge. It added an extra layer of difficulty to the whole process, and while it was easy enough to find out the names if they were Japanese (thanks to his Dad’s police resources), foreign celebrities were harder. But if L said this was his real name, Light took that at face value. “Sounds like he’s had it coming for a long time. Always nice to find one of those, who think they’re untouchable.”

 

“Oh, he _has_ ,” L murmured, breathing hard at the thought of _finally_ taking the asshole down. Partially it was a point of pride for him, because the man had been one of the few people he hadn’t managed to put away as L ( _charges dropped as accusers withdraws their claim_ , his ass. The families of the women that prick had hurt had been threatened, L would bet his entire, _staggering_ fortune on it). He’d been trying to bring Truize down with his various detective aliases since that first dropped case. He had all the proof, but _nothing_ had ever stuck, and L had instead decided to take a page from WikiLeaks and create a website containing all of the evidence he had collected on Truize… posted anonymously, of course. That had perhaps been an unwise move, but he hadn’t wanted all of his hard work to go to waste. “I’ve been trying to get something to stick to him for nine years, but he knows _everyone_.”

 

Light reached for the pen still atop the hotel notepad, twirling it in his fingers as he laughed with excitement. “We’ll have to thank the Sakura for providing the murder weapon.” Light scooted close to L until his chest was against his back, holding the scrap out in front of him. _I wonder if he’ll be able to feel it, secondhand. He won’t be using the note per se, but maybe if we’re touching…_ “Goodbye Mr. Truize.” Light wrote the careful letters in English:

 

**Chad Truize. Falls from his hotel balcony after exposing himself to the paparazzi, takes 4 hours to die in order to confess all his crimes amid howls of pain.**

 

Light let his head fall to L’s shoulder, laughing hard, but abruptly stopped. His fingers clenched tightly around the pen as the sharp euphoria hit, taking his breath away like a gut punch. He panted through it, again wondering if this was what heroin felt like, the rush and then slow drifting down. _Except it never lessens, each time as good as the first._ It was how he knew the death was going to stick too, because that didn’t happen if the death note didn’t get its payment. He whispered raggedly against L’s shoulder, “He...he’s going to d-die. We should know...pretty soon.”

 

Feeling Light pressed against him as he wrote the name against his knee was highly distracting, but L watched greedily, slightly disappointed by the four hour time limit. _Worth it,_ he thought, a smile spreading across his lips as he clenched his fists in anticipation. _Please work… I hope there’s video, so everyone can see the truth from the man HIMSELF._ A rush of arousal went through him as he realized that, if this worked, _especially_ if there was live video, those disavowing PR statements Truize had made over the years would be shown for the lies they are. And when he had the time, L would release all his accumulated evidence to the public again, this time without the media being able to say it was ‘doctored information.’ _I’ve got the receipts to prove what a fraud you are,_ he thought, his laughter matching Light’s, only to abruptly segue into a moan as he suddenly felt Light’s erection pressing against his back. Panting, he shifted, the slide of skin against him sending a hard spike of _need_ through him as he asked in a strangled voice, “Light? _What_ just-”

 

Light put the pen down, his hand trembling slightly as he pressed it to the bed. He lifted his head as L turned to ask him what happened, drawing a soft laugh from him. “Yes, a nice little side effect. Not sure if it would be the same for everyone, and I’ve never...ah, asked Ryuk about it.” _Also he said there hadn’t been a death note on earth in two thousand years, so he might not even know._ “It’s not always _this_ intense, but...after I write a name, there’s a rush of...something. Some pleasure. But that was more like...euphoria.” He scooted back a little so he wasn’t poking L anymore; food was coming soon which was why he’d been slightly hesitant to write. “I don’t _usually_ get hard right away, but…” He blushed slightly, smiling as he looked at L, “...I think that has something to do with you. I had the same reaction when I knew you were watching me write names on camera, when I hid the mini-TV in the chips.” _And you probably noticed how excited I was, even though I was trying to hide it._

 

He took a deep breath and laid back on the bed, his head starting to clear. “You’ll find out if you ever use it.” He let out a hiss as a wicked thought occurred to him, bringing his hands behind his head to look up at L. “Probably be pretty wild to fuck you while I write. Or while you do.”

 

Throughout the entire explanation, L had been staring intently at Light, trying to get his mouth to work, because _god_ , did he want Light to fuck him right now. _We don’t have time, do we, we’ll be interrupted by room service if we start anything right now, damn it._ “Damn it,” he muttered, clenching his fists, unable to stop himself from gazing raptly up and down Light’s body. “I may have miscalculated - if I had known that, I would have waited until afterwards, because I-”

 

Cutting himself off, L crawled over to hover at Light’s side, leaning down to kiss him and letting him see how hard he was. “Do you think it might be a second-hand effect of the death note?” he asked in a whisper, trailing his fingers down Light’s chest, unable to help himself as he panted. “Or just the natural effect _you_ have on me?”

 

Light closed his eyes and hummed softly as L kissed him, the pleasant tingling still in his body now electrified again. Breathless, “Both?” He opened his eyes and smirked as he saw, heard, the evidence that the death note had indeed affected L. “I wondered if you’d feel something, touching me skin to skin while I wrote.” It was interesting because before he’d known who L was, the rush was different, just excitement and like a high. The sexual component only came sometime afterwards, when he was writing to provoke L, to trick or confuse him. Writing in front of L’s sneaky cameras, and now, in front of his own eyes. He stroked a single finger down L’s erection, admiring it. _Damn. We have the worst timing with room service._ Quietly, “God, I wonder if it will be like this every time I write with you.” If so, Light definitely anticipated some increases in his productivity.

 

“I thought it was just anticipation for _finally_ getting the best of someone who has eluded me for years,” L breathed, letting out a shivering moan at the way Light stroked him, throbbing under his finger.

 

Light’s finger fell away as a knock was heard at the door, Light giving L an evil grin. “I’ve got two sides to that scrap. Plus, I ordered you something special.” Replacing his hand behind his head with a smug smile, “Your turn to go get the food with a hard-on though.”

 

The knock at the door pulled a ragged growl from L, and he turned to glare at the door, the evil grin Light had given him seared onto his brain and even more of a turn on than he had expected it to be. _I’m glad YOU find this funny_ , he thought to himself, reluctantly sliding off the bed and wrapping his towel around his waist again as he called, “Coming!”

  
  
_He ordered me something special, hmm? Wonder what,_ L thought as he hurried to the door, flushed and wanting to just get this over with. He opened the door a crack, and took a page from Light’s book as he peeked out, trying to keep his voice even as he told the young lady with the cart, “Please just leave it there.” Her eyes widened, going right to the faded bruises around his neck before taking in the rest of his state, damp hair and near nakedness. Her face went beet red, and she backed away, nodding rapidly as she stammered out an apology. “Um, it’s fine, thank you,” he said, eye twitching slightly as he willed her to just _leave_. She took the hint, turning around and hurrying away, and L sighed, pulling the door open and bringing everything in. _How is that even that embarrassment wasn’t enough to make this excitement go away?_

 

 _  
_ Light clamped a hand over his mouth as he giggled from the bed, watching L barely peeking around the door and mumbling. He could tell L was blushing even from behind, his pale neck going a shade of pink that must be mirroring his face. After a moment, L pulled the cart inside, his face somewhere between an irritated scowl and anticipation of the desserts.

 

  
As he shut the door, L declared, “Now I get why you commented last time, I think I nearly gave that woman a heart attack. I thought she wasn’t going to leave for a second.”

 

Light sat up to admire the spread, smiling at L, “Yeah, maybe next time we dress before opening the door. A hotel like this...they probably don’t pay them enough not to gossip.” _We might have an interesting check-out tomorrow, especially after being so loud on the balcony._ “But you’re extremely cute when you blush, so maybe that’s worth a little gossip.”

 

L stopped his perusal of the cart’s contents to stare at Light, a look of mortification stealing over him as his face went red. “ _Whaaaaat?!_ ” Oh god. “Why didn’t you warn me, I would have at _least_ put my jeans on.” _I just wanted to get the cart quickly, not start the rumour mill._ On the plus side, his excitement had _definitely_ fled at that prospect. “You’re going to enjoy watching me squirm in the morning, aren’t you?” he mumbled, turning his attention back to dessert, sighing and chewing anxiously at a fingernail.

 

“Unless you planned to wrap your jeans around your neck like a scarf, I don’t think that would have made a difference.” Light gave him a sympathetic look though, because he didn’t like being gawked at either. _Actually, no, I wouldn’t like to see you upset._ “As long as we tip well and don’t break anything, no one will care.” At least he hoped that was the case. Drawing unnecessary attention wasn’t the best idea. “We can always just do e-check-out if you don’t want to bother with them in the morning.” L looked genuinely anxious about it, so they didn’t have to see anyone tomorrow if he didn’t want to.

 

The suggestion to use e-check-out made L feel better, and he smiled, more focused on food now than speaking. The pot of tea caught L’s eye and as he asked curiously, “Is that green tea?” The arrangement wasn’t nearly as fancy as it had been at the Hyatt, but that hadn’t stopped the Sakura from presenting everything in covered dishes. “How much did you get, there seems to be a lot here.” He giggled, a little self consciously, but it felt nice, and if he was going to be frustrated, might as well at least have his dessert to make him feel a _little_ less high strung.

 

Light stood up and walked over to the cart, looking in the teapot. _Black I think._ They’d brought a sugar bowl and a little pitcher of milk too. “It should be black tea, that’s what was on the menu anyway. I get the feeling there’s a lot of Western guests here, and the food seemed to cater to that.” He took off the covers of the rest of the dishes, humming in approval at the presentation. _Wow, L’s looks really decadent._ “Of course I got something chocolate, but that’s strawberry shortcake for you. I hope that’s alright.” Light pecked L on the cheek then pointed to the huge bowl of bright-red cherries. “Looks like they didn’t forget.” _Huh, I don’t think that’s going to tamp down the rumor mill either._ “I got some edamame too in case we wanted something salty.”

 

But right now Light just wanted chocolate, and took his plate of cake over to the bed. Laughing with his fork poised about the cake, almost afraid to eat it lest disaster strike. “Here goes.” He closed his eyes and tasted it, smiling around the fork. “Mmm hmmm.” Opening his eyes, he pulled the fork away to spear another bite. “How’s yours?”

 

Seeing the strawberry shortcake as Light took the covers off was enough to mollify L, and he stared at the dessert for a moment with wide eyes before turning that same gaze to Light. _Did he…_ “Light, did you _know_ that strawberry shortcake is my favourite?” he breathed. He remembered mentioning shortcake at the cafe, maybe that was.. that had to be why Light had ordered it. “You did _perfect._ Thank you, Light.” Everything else could wait. He picked up a fork and took a bite right there, closing his eyes and savouring it. As far as he was concerned, even _bad_ strawberry shortcake was still delicious, but this was definitely going in his top five list of places that had the best ones. “It’s amazing. Almost makes up for giving the hotel an eyeful.” A pause. “And an earful. Oh god.” Plucking up his plate, and the bowl of cherries, L went to join Light on the bed, setting everything down on the mattress before divesting himself of the towel and climbing into a crouch.

 

“No, I didn’t know it was your favorite.” Light gave L a pleased smile when it was clear he’d made the right call on the dessert. _It feels good to spoil him, see him happy because of it._ “I recalled you saying you wished you had strawberry shortcake at the cafe, so that’s why. Glad it’s good.” He poured them both some tea, leaving it to L to add his own sugar as Light doubted he’d make it sweet enough. Just a little milk went into his, but he nearly overflowed his cup when L dropped his towel again and crouched next to him. _That’s a very...distracting position up close._

 

L plucked a cherry from the bowl and immediately popped it into his mouth, eyeing Light with a smirk as he chewed and swallowed the whole thing. Including the stem. “No party trick yet. That’s for teasing me about the gossip.”

 

Light grinned as he took a sip of his tea, watching focusedly as L’s attention turned to the cherries. _Finally! Wait- did he just--_ “L! After all this time I waited and you just eat the whole damn thing!” _Teasing you about the gossip..._ He closed his eyes like _heaven give me patience_. Opening them again, “Fine, fine. Eat them however you like you brat.” He shook his head, turning back to enjoy the one thing he was determined no one would spoil.

 

Hearing Light call him a brat again made him giggle, and L ate a few more bites of shortcake before he felt a little more like himself, sighing contentedly. “So. The death note. How… I think it’s safe to assume that you need a person’s true name. Which is why you haven’t been able to target criminals who are only known by aliases. And I saw that you can manipulate how and when they die.” _Well, I knew THAT before, but it’s nice to see it in action._ “What else can you do with it? I assume you’ve run many tests on what you can and can’t do.” L stared at Light, plucking up another cherry and chewing on the fruit before sucking the stem into his mouth and beginning to work it into a knot, nonchalant as you please.

 

 _Hmmm._ Light affected an innocent tone that didn’t match the flash in his eyes, “You _really_ should try some of mine at least.” He scooped some cake up, but instead of bringing it to L’s lips, he pulled the spoon back with his thumb and let it go, the mousse splatting right on L’s chest. The spoon went back in his mouth, an evil little smile curling around it as he licked the rest off. “Oops. Finger slipped.” Taking another bite, “I think if you want to hear anything about the death note, you better produce one perfectly tied cherry stem. That’s the price.”

 

L sent a sidelong glance over to the teen before letting out a startled ‘Hey!’ when cake splattered all over his chest. He stared down at the mess, crumbs falling into his lap, and then looked up at Light with his mouth hanging open, the cherry stem nearly falling out. “That was _not_ a slip,” he announced, narrowing his eyes and trying not to smile.

 

Light had been holding in his laughter at the surprised look on L’s face, but it finally bust out when L announced the obvious. “Well, I didn’t say it slipped on _accident._ ” He loved that they could tease each other, even amid ‘serious’ discussions about the best ways to kill people with supernatural notebooks. _Especially then._ He watched L’s mouth working, wishing he had x-ray vision like Ryuk so he could _really_ see, but his active imagination filled in the blanks.

 

L’s gaze flickered to Light’s mouth, taking in that evil grin and jaw working a little as he went back to work on the stem, trying to decide how to play this. _I was already doing it, Light, silly. You didn’t have to put a price on it._ Still, as his gaze slid back to Light’s, he couldn’t help but smile a little, rolling his eyes slightly. He _could_ be more of a brat and tease Light a little more, and Light might react in a positive way, which would be _delightful_ … but he might also get too impatient, and L didn’t want _that_. Looking away slightly, L murmured around the stem between his teeth, gesturing to the bits of cake clinging to his skin, “Are _you_ going to clean up your _mess_ , or am I?”

 

“Remember, L...don’t laugh…” He was giggling pretty hard now, and traced a finger down L’s cake-covered chest, licking the mousse away. “I just _cake_ take my eyes off your talented mouth.” He rolled on his back, smiling up at L upside-down. “I could always put a candle on your chest and blow you. Would you like that?” These were as bad as bad puns get, but he was having fun anyway, impressed that L was focusing through it.

 

All the distraction was making L’s knot-tying take longer than it was supposed to. And their trend of being unable to stay clean around each other seemed to be alive and well. Chuckling, L stared defiantly at Light as he worked the end of the stem through the loop, biting down again to tighten it before sticking his tongue out to reveal the knotted stem. Carefully picking it up by one end he placed it on Light’s knee and said smugly, “There. Happy now?”

 

When the much-awaited knot was finally delivered, Light held it up with a smile. “Cherrific. I knew you could do it.” He flicked it from his fingers, grinning as he crawled forward between L’s crouched knees with a sultry look on his face.

 

Now that he was finished his task, L shook his head and said in a soft voice, “It’s not enough for you to see me do a trick for you, you just _had_ to make it challenging.” That candle pun had made him hard again, not to mention the way Light looked, rolling around on the bed like that and looking adorable as hell… Letting out a shuddering breath at Light’s comment (“ _cherrific”_ , oh god), L found himself clenching his fingers around his shins, watching Light crawl between his knees as he whispered, “Put a candle on my chest and _blow me_? I nearly swallowed the stem, you incorrigible _tease_.”

 

Light held L’s gaze as his tongue darted over the cake smashed on his chest, moving over L’s mousse-covered nipple. Softly, “So about your questions.” Light settled closer, his hands moving L’s ankles further apart on the bed. “Aliases were certainly a problem before I had someone who could see names. But if you have the shinigami eyes, even a picture of someone’s face is enough.” He pressed his mouth to L’s stomach to lick up some fallen cake, savoring it before moving to lick some from his belly button. “Also, you need to see the whole face, shinigami eyes or not. Half isn’t enough, and it seems the eyes are especially important to see.” Light licked downward to lap up more mousse, his cheek barely brushing against L’s cock. _Also not accidental._ “If you want to give someone a ‘fun’ death or just one that occurs at a specific time, you have to write it within 40 seconds of the name. Else, heart attack.” He moved to his knees, working on licking up the worst of the mess at L’s chest. “You can also write the cause of death and details first, including the time, and fill in the names later.” He mouthed _Raye Penber_ into L’s skin, biting down gently as he grinned.

 

L settled more firmly on the bed and let out another shaky breath as the teen began to lick the cake away, speaking in between each tantalizing swipe of tongue. It was nice to know that Light was _still_ challenging at every turn, even if Kira’s challenges now came in the form of sexually stimulating info dumps… because he was having a difficult time focusing on much past the way it felt to have that enticing mouth on his stomach, licking up every crumb and getting so tantalizingly close to his erection only to completely _ignore_ it. “ _Fuck_ ,” he whispered, squeezing his fingers around his shins as he throbbed, breathing heavily, focusing blearily on what Light was saying now as he moved back up. _Ugh, I was right before, you ARE a bloody tease_.

 

Light sat back, tilting his head at L’s now-clean but probably sticky chest. “Anyway, there’s lots of rules that are written in the death note itself. I’ll let you read all of them. One thing I noticed quickly was that only physically possible deaths can happen. So you can’t write for someone to die atop the Eiffel Tower in 20 minutes if they live in Japan, or even for someone to do something completely out of character.” Light took a long sip of tea, remembering the countless experiments he’d done to find these things out. “I could make those criminals write you letters with clues from me because they actually _were_ scared of Kira. And Chad Truize will confess to those crimes because it must have been something he’d contemplated doing before.” That had been a slight leap, but if he hadn’t felt the rush he’d have just tried again with something else. “The rush you felt...it means the death will happen. If you don’t feel anything, it won’t. At least that’s how it’s been for me.”

 

After Light had finally finished speaking, L said in a slightly breathless voice, “So… I’m starting to realize that you were right when you told me it was better I hadn’t interfered with Misa. She might have actually paid _attention_ to me as more than a weird fan, and I probably would have been dead by now.” _And he only confessed to save my life, so I didn’t do anything stupid, like try to confront Misa._ The thought of that was… “Light… when you were writing Truize’s name, I felt a rush before you did. I don’t know if I was actually feeling the effect of the death note _then_ , or if I got the echo _after_ you did.” He swallowed hard and reached for his cake again, taking a large bite and swallowing before he said softly, “If you are interested… I would like to test something. My initial reaction, I’m unsure if it was the death note or my own strong reaction to getting rid of someone I had personal feelings of loathing for. So we should test it with a random criminal. What do you say?” _Aside from you probably bringing up that I just want you to fuck me, which is entirely correct_.

 

Light dropped his chin in his hand, half-listening to what L was saying. He was slightly annoyed that L had even managed to focus through his mouth on his body enough to synthesize the information he was saying. _And ask MORE bothersome questions._ He let out a long sigh, “You know, if you just want me to fuck you while I write a name, you can say it L.” He grinned, liking being every bit as much of a brat as L was to him.

 

Sure enough, that was the first thing Light brought up. L snorted, lips curling up in a smile. He hadn’t exactly been _trying_ to be subtle. He was just scooping up another bite of shortcake when Light scooted in between his thighs again, and L stared down at him in surprise.

 

“I don’t see why _you_ get to ask all the questions. Such a demanding detective, how do your minions deal with you?” He scooted forward on his stomach until he was right in front of L’s vertical erection, eying it and then flicking his gaze up to L’s. A whisper, “Did you think I’d forgotten about that tantalizing hint you dropped before?” He blew hot breath over L’s cock but didn’t touch it, just looked at it with interest. “I only have one space left on my scrap. If you want to use it for your little experiment then quid...pro...quo.” He punctuated each of the last words with teasing licks to L’s thigh, stopping to give a slightly evil giggle.

 

L’s eyes went wide when Light spoke, and he gripped the fork tighter, exhaling in a harsh pant at the hot breath that blew over his cock. _Holy shit._ Each teasing lick to his thigh set him twitching in response, and he had to bite his lip to swallow a moan. _He’s going to either give me a heart attack, or make me come without even touching me much,_ he thought, panting again. “Light…”

 

“I want to hear what you did when I killed Lind.” Light planted a kiss on L’s sack, sucking just a moment. “And I want to know what you did last _night._ ” Moving to the other side he repeated the action, sucking a little longer, pulling it into his mouth and rolling it briefly. Releasing it, he stroked the tip of his nose up the underside of L’s cock, stopping halfway up. “And I want to see you suck your cock.” A smirk, “I’ll have the best seat in the house for the show.” He leaned his head forward, the flat of his tongue lathing between L’s cheeks briefly. “I can be demanding too.”

  
  
_What I did when.._ A low, breathy ‘ahhh’ of pleasure left him, toes curling into the mattress as Light sucked at him, his head falling back slightly from the sensation. When Light moved to the other side and did it _again_ , L could barely hear the sound of the fork clattering to his plate over the sound of blood rushing in his ears and his own voice raggedly moaning at the stimulation, and he looked back down, eyes wide and dark and pleading, trembling and _writhing_ as Light licked him. It was a struggle to catch his breath enough to whisper an agonized, “I c-can _show_ you what I did last night.” _That_ , at least, would combine two of Light’s demands. He wasn’t sure he could speak reliably to relate what had happened with Lind just yet, and he _desperately_ needed to get off. He reached a tentative hand out to touch Light’s face, before croaking out, “Gonna need the lube. _Please_.”

 

It was incredible watching each of L’s responses to his teasing licks and movements, and more and more wicked ideas kept popping into Light’s mind. He could chain L up and tease him forever without getting bored of _that_ game; making L fall apart completely and show his human, needy side to him turned Light on more than nearly anything else. Just the past few minutes had made Light so hard he was pressing his erection into the bed, each of L’s moans stroking his ego and making him want to do it again and more, to see how much L could take before he was nothing but a puddle of sex and want for him. _Later._

 

But he’d gotten want he wanted from this right now and he breathed in a satisfied rush of air, pushing up off the bed to go find L’s jacket. He dug into the pocket and palmed the lube, going right back to lay between L’s legs. He held up the bottle between two fingers. “Not that I expect you’ll do much talking, but you call me Kira.” Popping to top, he offered it to L, “Or nothing at all.”

 

L let out a grateful moan when Light went to get the lube, immediately shifting back against the headboard and squeezing lightly at the base of his cock with a low whimper, trying to bring himself back from the edge. If Light wanted a show, it wouldn’t do to come too soon. Mind, it didn’t really do much, but it took that mindless _edge_ off, and he watched as Light returned, a pleasant shudder rippling through him when Light laid right back down between his legs. _Fucking beautiful_ , he thought to himself, nodding eagerly when Light spoke. “Yes… Kira,” he whispered, reaching for the bottle with one hand, the other already squeezing up the shaft slowly. He had _no_ idea how he was going to make this last long enough for Light to be happy. Or maybe it didn’t _matter?_

 

A nearly breathless giggle left him, and he squirted some lube on his fingers, rubbing them together a little to make sure it wasn’t too cold before closing his eyes, trying to visualize what he’d done the previous night to get back in the mindset. But that didn’t feel quite right, so he just threw the idea out the window and stroked up his cock, breathing out harshly at the trembling sensation before hunching over and wrapping his lips around the tip and sucking lightly. He could feel Light’s eyes on him, boring into him intensely, and he panted around himself, sliding further down and licking around the head before pulling off. Everything felt much more _intense_ tonight, and his gaze flickered to Light’s, panting above the tip for a moment before smiling and attacking it like he had done Light’s erection _earlier_ that evening; licking and sucking, sliding down as far as he could go as he spread his legs a little further apart. He was already anticipating what it would feel like to have _Light_ inside of him later as he worked two fingers in, fucking himself open carefully, until there wasn’t even a hint of discomfort.

 

It was painfully hard for Light not to touch L, to not just climb on top of him and fuck him breathless. But Light _really_ wanted to see this, enough to stay his violent, stabbing impulse to flip him over right now. He gazed up with intensity as L stroked the lube over himself, smiling to hear his name, to hear L giggle. L’s complete lack of shame, or maybe just his willingness to be open about his body and pleasure with Light, was extremely sexy and refreshing. He moved back slightly when L’s lubed fingers went between his legs, and Light thought _yes, prepare yourself for me. I’ll be there soon._ His lips parted in awe as he watched L easily bend over to capture his erection between his lips, and Light whispered, “ _Fuck…"_ softly, amazed and incredibly turned on. He wiggled his hips against the bed for some kind of stimulation, but it was so deeply unsatisfying compared to what he knew L was feeling. _Damn it, I’m a little jealous._ But he didn’t regret it a bit, this spectacle...and knowing that this was what L had done last night when Light had jerked off for him, it was driving him a little crazy.

 

The sensations were nearly _overwhelming_. A sound caught L’s attention, and as he stroked his thumb over his perineum, hips bucking up into his mouth and fingers pumping erratically against his prostate, he glanced down at Light through his lashes, smiling around his own cock at the expression on the teen’s face.

 

Light felt like he didn’t have enough eyes, wanting to watch L’s fingers pounding into him, his mouth sliding down further and working his own cock… _goddamn..._ and his mesmerizing eyes meeting Light’s. It felt so intimate to see L this way, he felt rather privileged and equally vulnerable as a voyeur, and also the tortured one, unable to touch---or just unwilling to interrupt. And of course it was hot as hell, seeing L desperate to get off, maybe even showing off a little for Light’s benefit. If he’d had more sense about him, he would have scooted in to help but for now, this time all he could do was look on dumbstruck and grinning. L’s own excitement was mirrored in him, and he moaned softly when he could see L was close. He whispered, “Come on, do it, show me.” Locking eyes with L one last time, he mouthed ‘yes.’

 

That seemed to be the trigger; L’s body went rigid, and he clamped his lips hard around his member with a ragged, muffled moan, sucking and swallowing until he had nothing left to spend. _Holy shit._ L straightened up slowly, letting his cock slip out of his mouth to fall against his stomach with a wet slap as he struggled to catch his breath. “Enjoy the show?” he finally asked in a hush when he felt he could speak, though his voice was hoarse again.

 

Light blinked a few times to come back to himself, he’d felt almost in a living wet dream, nodding with a grateful smile in response to L’s question. “Oh god….yeah, I did.” He leaned forward to press a soft kiss to L’s leg, getting up a moment later to get him a glass of water from the kitchen. _I know he’s got to be thirsty after that._

 

“Really?” L’s reaction was slow, gaze flickering over Light’s body as the teen stood up, and a surprised and pleased little smile spread across his lips at the realization that Light was telling the truth. _He looks like he’s as desperate to get off as I was,_ L thought in satisfaction, sliding down in the bed and curling up on his side, eyes falling half shut as he just focused on breathing.

 

  
Light laid down beside L, handing him the glass of water. Shaking his head, “Incredible.” He exhaled out a ragged breath, his own hand straying downwards to grip himself idly. Light figured L would definitely need a little time to recover from that, he could wait after a show like _that._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lol, maybe if L doesn’t want Light to tease him within an inch of his sanity, he’ll just follow through on his promise right away instead of being EXTRA bratty. <_<


	21. Right in the Ego

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> L teases Light right back, with emotional, visceral results. Light still has to get used to the idea they’re no longer enemies.

L took the proffered water and gulped it down gratefully before laying his cheek against Light’s chest, watching his face. “How badly do you want me right now?” he asked, keeping his voice quiet, smiling widely. He wasn’t _trying_ to be a tease, merely attempting to gauge Light’s reaction. The teen seemed to be trying hard to be mindful of him, and it was quite sweet, but L _still_ hadn’t gotten what he’d really wanted out of the rest of the evening, and Light obviously hadn’t either, so...

 

Light squirmed slightly as L curled into him, and the feeling of skin pressed against him and those deep searching eyes gazing up at him made his already hammering heartbeat more erratic. Swallowing hard and slightly incredulous, “How bad do I want you right now?” He looked up at the ceiling and laughed softly. _Bad enough I almost ravished you a moment ago before you could finish yourself off._ His eyes traveled down L’s still-flushed body and he stroked himself a few times, “Um…” _I’m holding back some very wicked thoughts right now L._ His fingers threaded through L’s hair gently but by the time they moved lower and touched the flesh of his shoulders, they were digging in, scratching until Light made a fist to stop it. Through slightly labored breath, “It’s taking all my willpower to give you a moment to recover, put it that way.”

 

A shiver went through L at the way Light’s nails were digging into his skin, and he murmured softly, “I don’t think I have much energy to _do_ anything right this second, but I recall you had one other... request. Do you.... still want to hear about the Lind incident?” A wicked little smirk flashed across L’s face and he pressed his lips to Light’s chest now, slinging his arm around the teen’s waist and cuddling closer into his side, enjoying the way Light reacted to him. Okay, maybe he was trying to be just a _bit_ of a tease. But as long as it got them what they both wanted, he didn’t care.

 

Light knew L was probably bringing up Lind to torture him some more and get him in even a worse state, and he wasn’t sure how much longer he could play nice before just _taking_ what he needed. But his curiosity about what L had done during that very first exchange with Kira was just as strong as his desire to get off. Turning his head to look down at L, “Oh shit, of _course_ I want to hear about that. I’ve wondered so many times what it was like from your...perspective.”

 

 _I can tell by the way you’re looking at me, alone, that it’s KILLING you not to just take what you want from me_ , L thought to himself, breath catching at the intensity of Light’s gaze, and he pressed himself against Light’s hip teasingly before murmuring, “Your willpower has _never_ been very strong when it comes to _me_ , though, Light. We both know this.” He dragged his tongue up Light’s neck before pulling away to grin up at him again. “That first encounter should have been proof enough of _that_.”

 

Light gave L a sharp look but his statement was definitely true, even if infuriating to hear while he _was_ trying to control his baser instincts right in this moment. He throbbed in his hand at the feeling of L’s tongue on his neck, tilting his head to invite more of it, but L was just moving away, the grin on his face proving he knew just what he was doing. _Oh, you brat…._

  
L rolled over, sitting up to begin preparing his tea, finally, dropping sugar cubes in and stirring. His voice was soft as he recalled the Tailor incident, smiling to himself as he remembered the anticipation he had felt while preparing that little stunt. “I meant it when I said that I hadn’t expected my little test to work out quite _that_ quickly. You surprised the _hell_ out of me. And believe me, I had a hell of a time trying to decide how to play it at first. After all, up until that point, Kira was laying low. Everything the police did to investigate him hit dead ends. Everything spouted by the media, either for or _against_ Kira wasn’t getting a reaction. And the way you were toying with me, challenging every conclusion I came to…”

 

Light listened as L relayed his thought process with setting up the Lind stunt and began to recall it just as clearly. Laughing softly, he took the lube as L prepared his tea. “I surprised _you_? You appeared out of nowhere with that stunt.” He had heard of L before that day, even if most people hadn’t. A scant few cases in his father’s laptop, the most high profile ones, had mentioned him but any details of who or where he was were missing. Out of curiosity, Light had delved into the dark web, occasionally finding mention of L on shadow threads or conspiracy blogs. Word there from a few supposed police who’d had interactions with him was that L was probably just a computer AI programmed to solve crime; that he was cold and mechanical, emotionless and robotic. That he kept everyone in the dark and worked alone, only solving cases meeting very strict criteria for exorbitant fees. “You thought you were proving the existence of Kira, but wasn’t that already apparent? Didn’t my works speak for themselves?” He squeezed some lube into his hand, pushing back into the pillows and stroking himself slowly, humming with the slick friction. “You proved your own existence to _me_ that day. Because you wanted me to know you….didn’t you…”

 

L let out a soft huff of breathy laughter before glancing back at Light coyly, avoiding giving answer to that query. “I was... playing it logically up to that point, more professional and by the book the way the police wanted me to. The Lind L. Tailor stunt was me taking matters into my own hands and doing things _my_ way. I looked at the situation and asked myself, what would piss _me_ off, what would get a rise out of _me_? What would pull an extreme reaction out of me? Hit me where it hurts.”

 

Leaning in to grin wickedly in Light’s face, L whispered, “Right in the _ego.”_ He giggled and pulled back, sipping on his tea before continuing, “That speech was designed to _piss you off._ And I was on pins and needles watching the broadcast. So much anticipation, I could taste it. For a minute there, at the end... I actually thought that I had miscalculated, that you _weren’t_ like me after all… but then Tailor died, _right_ in front of my eyes.” The remembered rush of triumphant arousal at being able to goad _Kira_ into killing his stand-in on live TV hit him again, no less potent than the first time, and L squeezed his eyes shut, fingers clenching on the teacup. He lowered his voice, shuddering slightly, “I _know_ it’s fucked up that I was so turned _on_ by that, by getting so many important pieces to the puzzle, but…realizing that Kira was just as driven by ego as _I_ was, as I _am_ , that Kira could be driven to action by a direct challenge to his _pride_ , and that I had been the one to finally provoke him…”

 

L laughed again, setting his teacup aside and crawling over to straddle Light’s lap now, pushing the teen’s hands away from his erection and whispering hotly in his ear, “Would it surprise you to realize that, from _before_ I finally made my own appearance on the broadcast, I was jerking off? Did you _catch_ how breathless I was when I first addressed you? Or did you only realize what I was doing when I starting taunting Kira to _kill me_?” Kissing Light’s neck, he trailed his fingertips down Light’s chest and murmured, “I don’t have a death wish, honest, but taunting you still felt… Heh. I had to turn my microphone off, or it would have become _very_ obvious that I wasn’t _just_ taunting you.”

 

Light’s nostrils flared as L pushed his hands away from his cock, straddling his lap but not taking over the stimulation. He was remembering it all so clearly, reliving the furious arousal he’d felt then as L whispered in his ear how he was jerking off _before_ even starting the broadcast. That made him close his eyes and exhale a pant of ‘ _fuck…,’_ grabbing L’s hips and sliding his body up Light’s slick and nearly painful erection. Grinning, he let his head fall back, moving his hips up to get that friction again. “Well, you did get me angry as hell, and...what you were doing only dawned on me after I knew who you were.”

 

Feeling Light’s tight grip on his hips made L gasp, his head falling forward to press against Light’s shoulder when the teen began rubbing up against him. He had to admit privately to himself that he hadn’t quite expected _this_ when he’d started reliving that little episode; he wasn’t sure what he _had_ been expecting. Light had told him he’d been angry, of course, and it was only logical, since L himself had felt the same way in the beginning, when he was being blocked at every turn. He understood now why that had been the case, because how could a mere _man_ , no matter _how_ brilliant, hope to measure up against the supernatural advantages afforded by a magic notebook? Still, it was interesting to hear Light’s counterpoints where they went into more _real_ detail than the somewhat sanitized (albeit kinky and _hot as hell_ ) fantasy he had described earlier, and _that_ , more than the slick friction of Light’s cock against his ass, was the _real_ turn on.

 

Light raised his head to meet L’s eyes and there was fire there, his grip tightening as he continued to rub himself between L’s cheeks. A cocky grin, “I had been playing with you without realizing it...had _already_ hit you in the ego with a case that stumped the illustrious L.” A harsh whisper as his fingers trailed to brush against L’s entrance, “And you had to hit me _back_ didn’t you? Telling me killing is so very wrong, and what do you want me to do? HOPED I’d do?” He laughed, his finger hooking into L’s already slick hole, “...kill.”

 

Hearing Light taunting L _now_ about how his ego had _already_ been bruised by Kira ( _accurate_ ) only pulled a shuddering moan from him, and L gazed down at Light’s face with hooded eyes, lips parting in a breathy exhale as the teen’s fingers teased him. He took a deep breath, whispering out, “But _everyone_ knows that killing is wrong.” He couldn’t help but grin ironically at that. _If killing is SO wrong, then what does that make me? US? Any government who still uses the death penalty? We’re all murderers._ “But just because we don’t use our bare hands doesn’t mean both of us aren’t willing or _able_ to do it, or allow it to happen, when necessary.”

 

Light pushed his finger in deep as he turned his head to capture L’s mouth, kissing him hard and angry as all the fury of being taunted before the whole _world_ sunk in again. _Oh how dare you…._ He pulled his finger away and rolled them over without breaking the kiss, pressing his body against L’s as he moaned low in his throat. He pulled back, holding himself above L with a look of intensity on his face. “Don’t you know that _my_ ego was stroked just because YOU were there?!” An ironic smile, “Kira was so important, so elusive, so GOOD at hiding from everyone...that even L came out to play with him.”

 

A low gasp left L as Light hooked his fingers inside his ass, and he pressed down on them, gratified when Light pressed in _deep_. The words he had been planning on saying were cut off when Light kissed him, fierce and angry and _demanding,_ only to roll L onto his back, pinning him to the bed - and a warm rush of want went through him at the rough treatment. _THERE’S that arrogance,_ he thought in a daze, licking his lips as he stared up at Light raptly. They had _that_ in common, he supposed, each of them always trying to turn a situation around to come out on top… well, at least until it came to sex, it seemed.

 

Light’s hand circled L’s wrist, bringing it above his head and pressing it to the bed. He grabbed L’s other wrist and held it above his head too, leaning down to get right in his face. “And here you came, panting out my name... _Kira…_ with your little threats, and I thought, could this be the same cold, robotic L I’d read about? L was _excited_ , and I could FEEL it, even if I didn’t know how bad it really was.” Slightly louder, more animated now, “In fact, you sounded exactly like I _felt_. Frantic...that maybe _here_  was a game, yes? The one you’d looked for, for so long? And me, _Kira_ , FINALLY someone worthy of it.” He pushed both of L’s thin wrists to grip in one tight fist, his other hand tracing fingertips down L’s face and body. He pushed L’s legs apart wider, holding himself at L’s entrance and nudging there but not penetrating.

 

L _may_ have been squirming under Light to tease him, but really, he _loved_ the way the teen was unleashing his domineering side, pressing his wrists into the mattress and getting in his _face_ as L panted for him. “Those stories aren’t fabricated,” L managed to say in a hush, moaning again and writhing against Light when he felt him press against his entrance teasingly. _Oh god, please just fuck me, Light!_ “L’s reputation is the way it is for a reason, even though you obviously know now that isn’t _all_ of who I am.” He let out another breathless moan and tried to push down to take Light’s cock inside him, but the teen just pulled away slightly, just enough that he couldn’t get the friction he _needed_. “ _Please-_ ”

 

Light’s eyes were wide and alive as he stared down at L, “You called my crimes _monstrous.”_ He circled the tip of his cock around L’s hole, both teasing and threatening. The last of his self-control was falling away, now he knew that L had been getting off to _humiliating_ him. “Guaranteed I’d be CAUGHT!” Yelling down in his face, “LIKE HELL!” He blinked slowly and calmed, bending to lick at L’s lips. A soft whisper, “You called me evil. Said you would _kill_ me. And even then you wanted Kira inside you.” He pressed just the tip of his cock inside, shallowly and slowly pushing in and out a few times before pulling out again. “Is that what you want now, L?” He leaned down and growled into L’s ear, “Then fucking beg for it.”

 

L’s eyes flew wide open, lips parting in shock when Light _yelled_ , and a whimper escaped him, chest heaving and tight with shame as he realized that maybe having someone say those things, words he had never actually _meant_ in the slightest, might not be a very nice thing to hear about oneself. _But I’m not exactly a nice person, am I?_ A low whine left him at the shallow penetration, and he nodded frantically at Light’s question. _Of course I want you now._ “Light-” he whispered, stopping abruptly at the growl that left Light’s mouth before writhing desperately against him, instead gasping out, “ _Kira!”_ A harsh cry left him when teeth sank into his earlobe, and he sobbed, “ _Please_ , I need you to fuck me, _please,_ Kira!”

 

Light was loving the way L was squirming underneath him, his body trying to press against him, get _more_. His arousal reached a fever pitch as L begged, making Light’s lips part and a whine of equal need slip past. “Yes!” He couldn’t wait or tease any longer and pushed in slowly so he wouldn’t just shoot right away, L’s body already so slick and ready for him. “I know you…” Panting, he stopped as he slid to the hilt, rotating his hips just to _feel_ L. _It’s like your body was made for me._

 

L was so, _so_ grateful when Light finally pressed inside him, so slow and careful in contrast to the way he’d been speaking and treating him just then that he couldn’t help a slight feeling of whiplash. He would never complain about something like that, though. It was one of the little oddities of Light Yagami that he was rapidly coming to love, that juxtaposition between being rough and domineering and then turning around and being sweet in the very next breath... and L couldn’t help but let out a soft, huffing laugh at the endearingly enticing, erotic way Light swiveled his hips into him. “I love it when you do that,” he moaned, arching into him a little as he hooked one leg loosely around the back of Light’s, swallowing hard at the words Light was now speaking into his skin as he began to move.

 

“I _knew_ you then…recognized...” Light gasped as he pulled out, shuddering with the pleasure he’d needed, this closeness. Back in, harder now as he was getting a grip, “Recognized like for like.” _Only you could have found me._ Light lowered his body to L’s, releasing his hands as he started to move with smooth, deep thrusts as their lips met. Light pushed his arms beneath L to hold him close but he sensed L’s slight fear of him, and that’s not what he wanted, not anymore. _You have nothing to be afraid of, I’d never hurt you._ That old anger was just an echo of what he felt for L, still all tangled up in the complex emotions of their game. And he hadn’t been entirely truthful about why Lind had stung so badly, and for so long. He kissed L with all the passion and pent-up need he felt, giving a more tangible answer to L’s question, _how badly do you want me?_ Light moaned into his mouth, ramming harder when he knew he was brushing against L’s prostate and keeping that angle.

 

Each deep thrust sent pleasant chills through L, the press of Light’s lips to his easing some of the unpleasant emotions that still churned within him, and L closed his eyes as he just focused on _feeling_ all of the pent up need and emotion pouring into him from Light. If Light hadn’t already seen him in various needy states tonight _alone_ , he just might have been embarrassed by the needy way he touched Light now, arms wrapped around the teen’s shoulders and licking into his mouth to taste the tea and mousse and _lust_ on his tongue before Light pulled away.

 

Finally breaking the kiss, Light sucked against the skin of L’s neck, mumbling there, “And if you were like me, I...needed you to understand me. I could take the...condemnation of anyone else.” It had made Light question himself for the first time, albeit briefly, to be called evil by _L_ , named a monster, someone who should be killed, erased like all the monsters Kira had. And maybe L could see now why that understanding meant so very much. Kira had followers and acolytes and sympathizers, but Light hadn’t cared about any of that because they did it blindly. It had been L’s approval he wanted, and if Kira couldn’t have that, L had to die. _What else would explain my singular obsession with you? To pursue and kill you rather than just flee, sink deeper to shadow and safety? I had to kill that doubt, if I couldn’t make you see me._ Their fingers intertwined on the bed, and Light felt like he was melting into this person, touching everywhere he could.

 

A low cry left L as Light pounded into him, angling up into his prostate now, and L’s eyes flew open, staring wide-eyed up the ceiling when Light pressed his hands back down to the bed, this time lacing their fingers together. He tilted his head to give Light better access to his neck and rolled his hips down to meet each thrust, panting from the overwhelming stimulation and emotion as he tried to catch a sidelong glimpse of Light’s face. Even with every physical sensation, hearing Light’s words was like a punch to the gut, and he was able to read between the lines of what Light _said_ to the unspoken reality of what he had done to him. _I didn’t just make him angry, I shook him. HURT him with those careless words. Made him question himself. That’s_ … Tears pricked at his eyes, and L let out a ragged, remorseful laugh, turning his head to meet Light’s lips again before whispering a muffled, “I’m sorry,” into his mouth, putting every ounce of sincerity and emotion he felt into the apology. It wasn’t enough, not by a long shot, but maybe between that and the way they kissed, the way he squeezed the teen’s fingers affectionately, maybe it was a start.

 

Light didn’t realize he was crying until he tasted it. Saltiness that wasn’t on his lips a moment ago, being licked away like the bitter guilt when he wondered if he was doing the right thing. It was L’s mouth pressed to his now, mumbling apologies he didn’t ask for or deserve. If he’d been able to respond, it would have only been a pathetic, squeezed-out, _no, you were right._ Because L had been, what he was doing and would continue to do until he was killed was monstrous, and that wouldn’t stop him. Who else could live with that knowledge and keep going? Or maybe that too was a delusion, a fantasy he needed to run another day and fall to untroubled dreams one more night. L couldn’t have, shouldn’t have said anything else. It was the hook that grabbed him and reeled towards obsession, towards wanting connection. But he felt so grateful that L would even say that just because he knew it had wounded him. _Do you care so much?_

 

 _Tears_? L’s eyes opened again when he realized that he wasn’t the only one getting extremely emotional, and he found himself letting out a half sob, half laugh as he stared at Light and nodded to him, lips parted with a smile.

 

Light kissed him once more before leaning up to his knees, hooking his arms under L’s legs and lifting his hips up off the bed. He stared down at L with emotion in his eyes, trembling with the gravity of _finally_ having everything he needed. “You were the only one I ever wanted to see.” He plunged in hard with a broken moan, the new angle allowing him to get even deeper than before and hit L’s prostate full on. He pulled L’s body into meet his cock with each thrust, mouth wide open as he felt so close. He whispered through labored breath, “L...the scrap is beside you. Put it on your chest...if you want me to write.”

  
A startled sound left him when Light pulled away, lifting his hips off the bed, and L stared up in surprise, his breath coming out in pants, fingers twisting into the sheets in anticipation. ‘ _You were the only one I ever wanted to see._ ’ For a moment, L couldn’t quite fathom what Light meant by that, as the teen plunged into him hard and _so deep_ , wringing desperate moans from him at each thrust, making it extremely difficult to form coherent thought... but then Light was whispering to him about the scrap, and he _understood_. L didn’t look away from Light’s gaze, breathing harshly as his fingers scrabbled on the bed for the paper. “I see you, Light,” he said, voice hushed and reverent, swallowing hard as he pressed the scrap to his damp chest, gaze flickering down to where he could just barely see it before looking up again. “ _Kira_. I _see_ you. And I understand.” Another thrust from Light pulled an agonized sound from him as he arched off the bed, face screwed up in pleasure, knowing he was close. “ _Fuck_ …  do it, Kira, _please_.”

 

Light pushed L’s legs to his shoulders when he saw the scrap on his chest, and here was the experiment--as much as his lust-addled brain could think it through. _He won’t know who I’ll write this time, he can’t anticipate it._ He nodded at L and reached for the pen near his leg and clicked it open, bending L nearly in half as he leaned to write. His hand was shaking so badly with the nearness of his orgasm it was difficult to focus on the tiny kanji he was forming. Each breath that passed his lips now was a moaned ‘ah’ as his hips moved fast and slick. Each stroke of the pen sent that now-familiar power thrumming low in his gut, the wind-up before the release, but it had never been like this before. He focused on the killer’s face--one he had seen earlier today and was planning to write later-- as the last scrawled stroke bled ink to paper. He dropped the pen as his hand spasmed, pulling in a long gasp of air because _oh god_ it was _happening._ Light’s pupils pinned to dots and the intensity of the high caused his body to twist hard against L’s as he exploded inside him, eyes rolling back in his head, and he was screaming, grinning. _Were humans even supposed to feel this way?_ He couldn’t know whether it was stolen or meant for him, no more than whether the death note itself was, but he’d take it, ride it down into L’s arms to hold him close as it claimed them both. _Whatever evil has hold of me, share it with me, L._

 

L’s breathing was already coming in laboured pants, one hand reaching out to thread into Light’s hair before sliding to clutch at the back of his neck, and he honestly wasn’t sure if it was just because of the intensity of the sex, or the wild fluttering high of delving into something unknown, or a combination of both. Whatever it was, the build-up was an exquisite _torture_ , wrapping around them both as Light bent him nearly double, and this time, he could feel an almost alien wave of ecstasy hit him _hard_ as Light finished writing, sinking into his chest and rapidly firing along every nerve in his spasming body. He didn’t realize that the blissed-out wail was coming from him until it began to fade away and Light sank into his arms, their quivering tangle of limbs finally stilling. _Holy shit, what was THAT?_ He blinked his eyes open, and stared up at the ceiling, feeling like he’d just taken a shot of adrenaline.

 

Weightless, floating, spent...Light was against L’s chest, squeezing him tightly, not remembering exactly what had happened as pleasant aftershocks shivered through him. Whispering, “L...did you feel it?” He giggled, and it sounded inhuman even to his ears, half-crazed as he felt. His whole body felt wet--from sweat? His mind was clear as a bell and sharply focused as if the damned thing was encouraging him to write more, although that wasn’t possible tonight.

 

“I felt it,” L breathed after a long moment, chest tight with amazement as he held Light tight to him. And perhaps it shouldn’t have surprised him that Light had gotten as emotional as _he_ had, L reflected, squeezing his eyes shut as he pressed his mouth to Light’s sweaty hair, stroking his fingers along the defined lines of the teen’s shoulders, smoothing his hands down his back.

 

Light lifted his face to meet L’s eyes, his amber ones searching out what the man was feeling right now. He groaned as his cheek pressed back to L’s chest, smiling blissfully as his hands rested on L’s shoulders. “It’s you. I never felt that way alone.” _You do see me, and it feels amazing._

  
L merely smiled, not even bothering to try and shutter the euphoric, love-struck happiness that must have been radiating off of him. “Do I really have _that_ much of an effect on you?” he whispered, swallowing hard. _I hope so, because you certainly have an amazing effect on me_ , he thought, shivering and smiling down at Light more brightly, tightening his arms around the teen. “Because I love that idea. You’ve certainly ruined _me_ for anyone else. And I wouldn’t change a thing.” Not that he’d ever really been interested in _being_ with anyone else in any meaningful way before Light in the first place.

 

Light could have just fallen asleep right there on L’s chest, it felt like coming home in a way, where he was meant to be. He smiled at L’s words, nodding against his skin, “Isn’t it obvious the effect you have on me?” _I’m glad you felt it, and now we know._ He scooted back slightly to move them both into a more comfortable position; L’s legs had already fallen at some point but Light wanted to lay beside him now, not crush him. He pulled out gently and didn’t even care about the mess or cleaning himself up, he was perfectly content to go to bed blissfully sticky and shower in the morning. That made him remember he had school the next morning and he cursed silently in his mind, but he wouldn’t let that ruin this. He kissed L’s lips softly as he slid under the covers and curled against him, unable to stop smiling. “You know, the reason I used Tinder wasn’t just for anonymity, although that was a big part of it. I was starting to feel like there was something _wrong_ with me. I’d never felt attraction to anyone, wanted anyone before.” His fingers traced lazy patterns over L’s skin, encouraging him to turn towards him and hold him like he had a moment ago. “Honestly, the first time I’ve ever felt that way is with you. So...not only do you have a huge effect on me, you’re the only one who has.” A blush tinged his cheeks at the admission, but it was probably lost in the flush that was still there.

 

“You’re right,” L said softly, chuckling, a soft pout on his face when Light pulled out and laid down beside him. He curled onto his side to face Light, giggling a little at the explanation. “And you ended up being attracted to the strange guy with dessert pictures on his profile, and no good pictures of himself. Go figure.” He reached up to stroke at Light’s cheek to show that he was only teasing. “I’m… very happy with how things turned out. And I don’t think there’s anything wrong with you not feeling attraction for most people. I’ve never been interested in anyone for more than brief instants, people are just so… disappointing. But it feels good to be actually interested in someone who wants me back the same way.” Pressing a kiss to Light’s mouth, he smiled, and scooted closer, wrapping his arm around the teen.

 

 _‘The strange guy with dessert pictures on his profile….’_ That made Light grin, reaching up to stroke L’s face. _Attracted to doesn’t cover the half of it, I’ve fallen for you._ Softly, “I never used to believe in fate before. Used to think it was romantic nonsense or wishful thinking about the universe. That people made their own fate, luck. But now?” His fingertips ghosted over L’s lips, “I don’t think I can believe that anymore. I’ve just gotten too lucky lately.” Ryuk had told him that he’d just dropped the notebook randomly, that he hadn’t intended for Light to have it. But Light didn’t believe that either. Even if Ryuk was telling the truth, Light still felt deeply that _he_ was the one meant to have it, just as he was meant to have this with L.

 

Hearing Light bring up fate made L blink, remembering back to Saturday night when he had chided his sister for being moved by her soap opera. ‘ _Soulmates aren’t real, silly.’_ Smiling, a soft, pleased sound left him at the feeling of fingers ghosting over his lips, and his arms tightened around the teen for a moment, heart beating faster. _But now you believe in fate… because of me?_ His lips trembling slightly, L whispered, “Or maybe you weren’t completely wrong before. If fate is real, I don’t believe it’s an all or nothing thing, like you have to follow a predetermined script. We are _still_ free to make our own choices, after all. But… maybe you were _meant_ to find the notebook. Because if you hadn’t, I would never have come back to Japan, and we might never have met. Maybe we were supposed to meet, but after that, it’s up to _us_ to make our own fates. If we made different choices after I finally confronted you on TV, we would probably have ended up somewhere different, instead of in each other’s arms.”

L didn’t want to imagine a world where they never experienced _this_ with each other, and he had never felt so instantly at ease with someone as he had with Light. _I may have suspected, but I really should have known right away when we met in Shinjuku that he was Kira, because no-one else would have been interested in me so quickly. Everyone else always reacts to me the way Misa did, but Light…  it should feel wrong to feel so strongly for him already since we only just met, but meeting him was honestly just finally putting a face to the person I was falling in love with already._ Snorting at that thought, L murmured, “Everything we were doing before meeting was really just fucked up love letters to each other. What a pair we make.” When Light looked up, he grinned. “I mean that in the best way possible.”

 

Light felt so relaxed here as his hand found L’s, and even though there was still some chocolate mousse over on the cart, it just seemed like too much effort to get it. Dreamily, “I guess we know now that the death note can have a secondhand effect too. The first time I felt it I wondered if it was some magic to keep humans writing in it, if it were ever to fall to earth. Ryuk told me that they have come to earth only a few times before.” He remembered his amazement at the small snippets Ryuk had let slip about _who_ had gotten the death notes in the past, but he’d have to tell L about that another time. “Shinigami get the years unlived from the humans’ names they write, so I guess this is what humans get instead.” He laughed against L’s shoulder, “Fair trade, I guess, although immortality would be better.”

 

He felt himself drifting slightly but forced his eyes open, wanting to stay awake as long as he could. It had been a long, confusing, amazing day and Light was exhausted physically and mentally, but he’d been waiting too long for this to just doze off. “Just one more day before the exam. You’re still taking it with me right?”

 

Hearing Light speculating on the nature of the death note was piquing L’s curiosity, and in all honesty, he was _itching_ to ask more questions. “Light, would you be alright with me borrowing Ryuk tomorrow?” L asked softly, nuzzling into his neck. “I have lots of questions for both you and him. As much as I would _love_ to just spend all day with you, I... probably shouldn’t disrupt your routine any more than necessary. But if I can keep Ryuk around, that will give me a chance to get some information now, and you can fill me in on anything I’ve  forgotten the next time I see you, maybe.” He paused and laughed. “And yes, I _do_ still intend on taking the exam with you on Friday. I mean… how could I pass up the chance to spend the entire day with you?”

 

Light settled into L’s arms, breathing deep and slow, but looked up again when L asked to borrow Ryuk. That was an amusing thought, and he giggled at the shinigami being passed around like a baton. “Well, you’ll have to ask him yourself. He hates going to school with me because I ignore him, and just plays pranks or watches bad soaps in the teacher’s lounge during the day. I bet he’d be thrilled to have something else to do, somebody to talk to.” Light hadn’t anticipated it, but Ryuk definitely got lonely or trivially bored (as opposed to dangerously bored) and would ask Light to play games with him or just chat or take him somewhere new.

 

L’s lips curved up into a pleased smile when Light began talking about Ryuk’s habits at school, and he found himself thinking in amusement, _Oh good, more experiments. This should make for an interesting day._ “To be fair, he might have to be bored for a little bit, I _do_ have to go back eventually, but…”

 

“I don’t know how long he can be away from me but I think a day should be alright.” Light grumbled slightly into L’s shoulder because he _really_ didn’t want to go to school, especially if he knew that L and Ryuk would be chatting about much more interesting topics than world history or English verb conjugation.

 

The urge to say something extra sappy to Light was strong, and L had to stop and consider for a moment. He’d already said many sappy things tonight, and while Light seemed happy about it, that might have had absolutely _nothing_ to with any of the things he’d _said_ , and more to do with the general mood. “Thank you,” he finally said, stroking Light’s back lightly. “For everything. But especially for… trusting me. With all of this. With you.” _And for the literally mind-blowing sex_ , he thought with a delighted smile.

 

“I do trust you.” Light blinked as he stared at L for a long moment, savoring the irony of trusting _L_ and having it feel so natural. He swallowed, feeling a little ashamed of himself for screaming into L’s face before, even (or especially) if he’d enjoyed it. “I’m sorry for yelling at you. It’s still...complicated for me, remembering how I felt then, when I was hiding and afraid.” _And the things I thought I had to do because of that._ “It will take a little time for me to completely get used to the idea of not being alone in this, that you’re _with_ and not against me.”

 

L’s smile faded slightly as he listened to Light’s apology, and he was already shaking his head before falling still, just holding the teen close. _Light…_ “You…” he started softly, trailing off for a moment as he bit his lip. It warmed him to hear the apology, but at the same time… ” _Please_ don’t apologize. You have nothing to apologize _for_. I didn’t even think about how you must have felt, and…” _And I was an asshole._ Sighing, L nuzzled his nose against Light’s, bringing a hand up to stroke his fingers against Light’s cheek before admitting, “... well, I kind of deserved it. I’m going to try my best to make up for it now.”

 

Light grinned, turning his face to kiss L’s fingers. “The only thing you deserve is to get pounded into the bed, hard and often. That’s how you can make it up to me.”

  
_Oh…_ L chewed on his bottom lip for a moment, not bothering to hide the blushing, muted smile that spread across his face again at that. “Yeah? Is that all?” A thrill went through him at the thought of how he could _make it up_ to Light next time they were together. For tonight, he was _pretty_ sure he was all sexed out. _God, I love you,_ he found himself thinking, heart racing, stroking his fingers now against Light’s bottom lip as he finally gave him a real smile. Softly, “If that’s what you want… then I will _gladly_ give it to you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ZJ: I did *not* know L was going to think that at the end! Light wouldn’t have had to wait for Ryuk to write his name if he’d known about that XD  
> Ghost: Awww! To be fair, L has been thinking and saying similar things throughout the chapter (‘I was already falling in love’, ‘fucked up love letters’), it’s just the first time he’s phrased it simply... no explanations, just a fact. =D He’s well and truly caught up.


	22. Not My Pet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Light introduces Ryuk to L properly but there’s tension. L hears about the shinigami realm and they discuss what to do about Watari.

Light pecked L on the lips before getting up to grab an apple from the bag, noting there were only a couple left. “I guess it makes sense for me to tell Ryuk you’ll be with him tomorrow. You’ll need more bribes, for one, if you don’t want him to annoy you constantly. And I’ll have to be careful not to write in the notebook while he’s with you, or he’ll come back in a heartbeat.” There was nothing Ryuk loved so much as watching Light do that. Apple in hand, he got back in bed and pulled the covers over both of them to hide their nakedness and snapped his fingers. “Come on out Ryuk, we wanna talk to you.”

 

Giggling as Light covered them up, L curled into the teen’s side, warm and happy from Light’s kiss as he waited for Ryuk to pop back in. “Oh, yeah, I’ll _definitely_ make sure to get more apples for him.” It didn’t take long, and it was still jarring for a demon to suddenly drop down to hover above him, but… as L stared up at him, he felt a little more at ease this time.

 

Ryuk’s disembodied head poked through the ceiling, yellow eyes zeroing in on the apple in Light’s hand. “Bout time.” He floated down to hover over the bed, seeming completely unfazed by the state of either of them. “Was waitin’ on ya to share. So stingy!” But he took the proffered apple with a toothy grin, tossing it back and chewing with his mouth wide open and flinging bits of it everywhere.

 

Light gave L a look like _what an oaf_ , but really he couldn’t expect a death god to abide by human manners. “Ryuk, how’d you like to stay with L tomorrow while I’m at school? That way you’ll have somebody to talk to and won’t be so bored.” Light had to frame it as something fun for the shinigami to voluntarily agree to, else it would just be chaos. “L knows everything now; he’s going to help us but he’d like to talk to you, ask you questions about the death note.”

 

Ryuk stopped his happy chewing, turning his gaze on L a little dubiously. “Eh? The detective chasing Kira’s helpin’ him now? Well ain’t that some shit.” He rolled on his side in midair and cackled, obviously highly amused. He calmed down when he saw the look on Light’s face, flapping over to perch on a chair beside the bed. More serious, “You sure about this Light-o?” Up until today, Ryuk had been the primary audience for Light’s schemes and dreams of defeating and killing L; this new turn was throwing him. A loud whisper, badly concealed behind his huge taloned hand, “Uhhhh...are you just sending me to spy on him?”

 

Light’s serious expression broke, and he started to laugh, “NO, I’m not sending you to spy. I mean it, we’re working together now and I trust him.” He held L’s hand in plain view so Ryuk would know it was true. _He’s really not the brightest shinigami, L. You’re going to have to be patient with him._ “So, will you go?” Light tilted his head like scolding a child, “And _behave_?”

 

L watched their conversation with interest, once again amused (and a little unnerved) by how _normal_ the banter between them was, and he couldn’t help but laugh when Light made a point of holding his hand in front of the skeptical shinigami. _I can do one better_ , he thought smugly, dropping a lingering kiss to Light’s shoulder as he stared defiantly at Ryuk. “I’ll get you more apples,” he said, smiling slightly.

 

Ryuk looked between them a moment, sputtering into laughter again. Waving his gaudily-ringed hand, “Pfft, sure, can’t be more of a snooze than your dumb teacher. Long as he got apples.”

 

Ryuk paused in his cackling, staring hard at L as his eyes glowed slightly, gaze flicking above L’s head. _Now there’s a funny name._ “Huh. So ya trust him, but has he told you his name?” He watched Light’s face pale. “Thought not.”

 

Ryuk’s words wiped the smile off L’s face. _Is he trying to create more drama?_ L thought, his gaze immediately flickering to Light’s face, stomach dropping when he saw the teen’s face pale.

 

Light choked a little, because that was _the information_ he was always trying to get during his schemes against L. He’d begged Ryuk to help him there, but the shinigami had told him there was a rule for their kind against doing that. He hadn’t asked L for it because...well, he’d hoped L would tell Light himself when he wanted to, and pressing for it might be construed badly or misunderstood.

 

Light looked at L apologetically, “Just ignore him. He says he’ll stay with you tomorrow so you can ask everything you want then, or tonight even.” Light’s mind was getting foggy now with tiredness and a need for sleep, and he settled down into the covers again. “Ryuk, from now until I get home from school tomorrow, if L snaps for you, go to him.”

 

Ryuk frowned a little, because that was the way he’d specifically agreed for _Light_ to call for him, but he shrugged. “Fine. Like I said. Long as he got the goods.”

 

 _Seriously?_ “Ryuk, I don’t know if you’ve been spying on our conversation, or if you only pay attention when you _want_ to,” L started, eyes flashing with irritation. _Because I definitely plan on finding out exactly how much you pay attention to._ “- but whatever you may have overheard, just understand that much more can be gleaned about a person knowing their experiences rather than their name.”

 

Ryuk sat for a moment, the big dumb grin on his face unwavering as he listened to L. He phased onto the bed in a streak of black feathers, making Light sit up abruptly and move his legs back. Addressing L, “Listen boyo, I ain’t going along with you so you can play ‘interrogate the demon.’ I’m doing it because _Light_ asked, and it might be fun. Same as any conversation, whether you or Light are having it or we are, I do what I want.”

 

The shinigami would take a lot of shit from Light, it even amused Ryuk how little he feared him. In the beginning, he’d just tolerated it as worth the price of admission to Light’s games, but it had rapidly grown on him as the rest of Light’s personality had. But he had _no_ reason to extend the same courtesy to L, especially since he was feeling rather prickly about being shoved aside by Light. Until the past few days, Light had never told him to ‘scram,’ except for the few occasions he’d jacked off and didn’t want Ryuk there. He’d been the sounding board for all the plans, poor as he was at understanding most of them. Light had even treated him as a friend, and now all seemed forgotten except how useful he could be. Meeting the irritated look in L’s eyes with the same, Ryuk’s eyes glowed a warning, _Tread lightly_.

 

The urge to gulp as Ryuk threatened him (because even if the shinigami hadn’t overtly _said_ he would do anything bad to L, it was pretty obvious his words weren’t _friendly_ ) was strong, but L just met his eyes steadily. It didn’t matter how uneasy he was now, he knew from painful experience that showing fear to a predator or bully was the easiest way to become a perpetual victim, and he _would not_ be that again.

 

Light was a little surprised seeing Ryuk this way, not exactly menacing but not really friendly either. His tone was not goofy and playful but more guttural, playing up the inhuman voice. _He’s trying to intimidate L? Why?_

 

L turned back to Light, stomach sinking again when he saw the surprise on the teen’s face. Perhaps spurred on by the challenge Ryuk had lobbed at him, or more likely just wanting to give Light _something_ , he admitted in a softer voice, “I didn’t even think about telling you, today has been so… chaotic, in a way? But you already have half of it.” He gave Light a small smile. “As ridiculous as it sounds, L is.. actually my given name. I don’t know what my parents were thinking.” _Shinigami, I can already tell that you’re going to be an irritating sort._ “Are you alright with me not telling you the rest tonight? Or will it bother you not to know, now that _someone_ has brought it up? I’m not trying to be cagey, but there are a few things I would like to check up on...” _Check up on_ wasn’t exactly what he had meant to say, but it was hard to think clearly when Ryuk was hovering over him, and half-formed questions and thoughts had been coalescing ever since they had started sharing personal stories.

 

Ryuk snorted hard when L confirmed just one part of his name, holding back the rest that would have made it possible to write his full name in the death note. The shinigami looked right at Light from his perch on the end of the bed, “So he throws ya a bone, eh?” Chuckling quietly, he speared the fallen scrap of death note on a long talon, holding it back out to Light. “Well, maybe I can’t blame him for holding back the more important bit.” Back to L, “Knowing your experiences can’t get ya killed, but your name?” His long wings extended out for a moment like he was stretching, then pulled back to disappear. “I mean, if ya still worried bout him, hyuk.”

 

Light took the scrap with tentative fingers, frowning between it and L before putting it on the nightstand to burn later. Of course it bothered him, after everything he’d told and shared with L, and being the first one to step out into the open in the back of that limousine. What exactly did L have to ‘check up on’ that would prevent him from telling Light his name? Ryuk was pointing it out in his heavy-handed way---which Light was still a little surprised that he would even bother or care--but he had a point.

 

L wasn’t able to remain stoic when Ryuk called him out, startled at the accusation that he was still worried about Light potentially killing him. _What the fuck did I do to YOU?_ he wondered, and he looked quickly to Light with wide eyes, stung by the way the teen avoided his gaze. _Shit. I should explain_.

 

“Um...I guess, honestly, it does bother me, but I won’t ask you to do anything you aren’t comfortable with.” _It’s not making a very good impression on Ryuk for you to hold back either, if what he’s worried about is if you can be trusted._ Light made eyes at Ryuk to back off, breathing a little easier when the shinigami moved to lounge on the couch instead of in their faces.

 

“That’s not what I meant, I swear,” L said in a soft hush, hands clenching in the sheets now as he watched Light, willing him to just _look_ at him for a moment. _I mean, there’s no real reason NOT to tell him tonight, but I wanted to be able to do it on my own fucking terms_. “I just... wanted to see if I could find my... an obituary for... well.” He trailed off, red-faced. Now he brought it up, it sounded like a lame excuse.

 

“I suppose all you really need to confirm I’m telling the truth is Ryuk, huh?” L said in a careful monotone after a long moment of uncomfortable silence, staring hard at the shinigami. _Fucking meddling shinigami._ “It’s... not a trust issue, Ryuk. I trust Light with my life. But I was preoccupied with the fact that I would like to check in with Watari at some point in the next hour to give him the order to remove the surveillance, and... he will undoubtedly ask me why I’m giving him the order earlier than planned.” Glancing back to Light, L said quietly, “Watari is my... I suppose you could call him my wetworks man. I wanted to potentially let him in on the situation as it stands now, and I was much more focused on getting your permission to do that, _first_ , before going ahead with anything else. I trust him with my life, and he has _always_ supported the decisions I’ve made in my cases, regardless of what they were.” _Well..._  “In light of that, I fully believe he can be trusted to keep your secrets while we figure out exactly what to do... but if you don’t want me to tell him, I _won’t_.”

 

Sighing, L looked down. “And it didn’t occur to me to tell you my name because it just isn’t important to me. So I apologize for seeming like I’m holding back on purpose, Light.” He thought about it for a moment and a slightly embarrassed laugh left him. “Besides, now I’m thinking of it, I suppose I thought you would think I was mocking you when I told you.” He looked back up at Light with an ironic look in his eyes before saying dryly, “It’s pronounced ‘low-light’.” _How’s that for fate?_

 

Ryuk grinned from the couch, “Uh huh, I could see how all that could keep ya from saying two words.” He shot a glance to Light, and his eyes contained months of memories and confidences, turning from the human’s confused expression to the ceiling. “Least ya know how to pronounce it, that’s something.”

 

‘ _At least you know how to-’ ExCUSE me?!_ The pettiness of that comment sent a wave of hot anger through L, and he actually had to bite his lip and turn away to keep himself from coming back with a pissy retort, clenching his fists in his lap in frustration and hunching in on himself. What the hell did Ryuk expect him to _do_ , write his name down on the bloody notepad? _Well, I could’ve typed it out on my phone… shit, I’m really not on my game tonight. What is WRONG with me?_

 

Light didn’t like how this was going at all and frowned at the shinigami. Their passive aggressive jabs needed to stop or he wouldn’t sleep at all tonight. “That’s all, Ryuk. L will call for you tomorrow.”

 

“Hyuk, can’t wait.” Ryuk sunk down through the couch giving them both a little flourishing salute as he disappeared.

 

L tried to think back over everything he’d said and done during this exchange, and he couldn’t help but be confused. Ryuk had been skeptical about him even before he had said _anything_ , which… was understandable, he supposed, since it would seem sudden from the outside that L and Kira would be working together after… He sighed, dimly hearing Light dismiss the shinigami, but still unable to relax. That still didn’t explain why Ryuk was being an ass. _Or… maybe it does. This is so much more complicated than I thought. I really AM going to have to tread carefully, aren’t I? I can’t just treat the shinigami like one of my experiments. My first mistake. And then reacting to him like I would any normal human being who challenges my authority, because Light talks with him so casually, when he has no reason to allow ME to talk to him like that. When he’s a literal supernatural being who could kill me with the stroke of a pen if he wanted to. My second mistake._

 

Light stared at the vacant couch a moment, feeling slightly empty and a little lonely without the presence of the shinigami who had been at his side since the very beginning. He didn’t like dismissing him like that, sensing that Ryuk felt slighted somehow. _This is how he gets when I ignore him._ He wanted L and Ryuk to get along, needed them to if this was going to work at all, but instead they just seemed to shoot daggers at each other. The problem was that both were in their right to be suspicious. Considering L’s point of view, Light understood why he hadn’t brought up his name; it was the same reason Light himself hadn’t asked. _There just wasn’t the right time to._ But again, from Ryuk’s point of view, Light had put _everything_ on the table and L had blatantly dodged doing the same. Even to Light’s sympathetic ears, his reasoning was flimsy at best, protective at worst, and gave Light a sinking feeling.

 

L risked a glance at Light, trying to keep his breathing even, trying to even _breathe_ around the frustration and anger he now felt towards himself for reacting the way he had. It was clear he had fucked up ( _again!_ ), and from the silence in the room, it was also clear to him that Light wasn’t happy about the current situation. _And my third mistake. Trying to justify my dodging when I should have just apologized to Light and explained it was force of bloody habit, and told him what he clearly wants to know. I am not good at this._

 

Light swallowed and turned off the lamp at his bedside, turning towards L and seeking out his warmth. “It doesn’t matter to me if you had told me or not, I trust you. Trusted you with my life from the moment in the limousine.” It was finally dark and quiet, and the cloud of anxiety that had been hovering over him for the past few minutes was dissipating.

 

Honestly, L was a little surprised when Light reached out to him, said he trusted him. _Do you really, Light? I didn’t give you any reason to just now, if Ryuk is to be believed._ His breathing was a little harsh in the suddenly dark room, and he moved to lay back down under the covers, turning towards Light and wrapping him up in his arms, burying his head in the teen’s shoulder and just listening in silence for now.

 

Light curled into L, reaching out to hold him. “Ryuk isn’t my pet. I’m...not sure what he is exactly, but he’s got feelings and suspicions and thoughts same as we do. He’d been with me since those first few days L, heard me so many times talking about how we were enemies.” In a way, he was a little touched that Ryuk even cared enough to get huffy. _It’s also a good sign for something else._ “Also...maybe I didn’t tell you, but Ryuk said that he’d be the one to write my name one day. I guess that’s the price for this power. It’s been pretty easy to keep him amused and happy, and…” Light sighed, because he hated thinking about this, _never_ asked Ryuk about it because he didn’t want to know. “...I really don’t want that to change, alright? I know he may annoy you...but he could literally kill me.” Light looked into L’s eyes, asking for some understanding, some temperance.

 

The explanation Light gave certainly confirmed L’s own conclusions, right up until Light told him - _Ryuk will be the one to write Light’s name?_ L sat up slightly at that, loosening his grip and asked in an alarmed hush, “What do you _mean_ , he’ll be the one to write your name?” _I haven’t done any real damage here, have I?_ L thought, truly worried now. “Light, is there… anything else I need to know before speaking to him tomorrow? I don’t want to fuck this up any worse than I did tonight.”

 

Light looked up when L shifted, feeling that rush of anxiety again but pushing it back down as he knew how to do so well. Seriously, “Ryuk showed up after I’d already been using the death note for days. I had no idea it was tied to him, to any other being.” That seemed awfully unfair both then and now, but there had been no promise that the power of life and death would have been _fair_. In fact, Light had even asked Ryuk if his soul was the price of it all, already having made his peace for being a martyr for his dream of change. “When I asked him what the price for using the death note was, he said...nothing. At first.”

 

He turned over to look at the ceiling, meeting L’s wide staring eyes made it hard to say the next part. “Eventually he told me that just as I write the names of others, _he_ would be the one to write my name. He didn’t say when that was, and I didn’t ask. I didn’t want to ask.” L did need to know a few things about Ryuk, to understand the shinigami better and hopefully adapt his way of dealing with him. Remembering his past conversations with Ryuk, he sunk a little into the soft bed and tried to recall them for L, giving him a thoughtful look. “The world Ryuk comes from, the Shinigami Realm, was once a magnificent place from what he says. But now is only dust and deserts, the ruins of a civilization far older than human time can recall. Ryuk himself watched our primate ancestors take their first steps on two legs.” He snorted, “Before realizing he could kill them and take their years.” He turned towards L, because it was slightly thrilling to relay something that literally no living person on earth knew. “There are only a dozen or so shinigami left, although once there were so many more. They are a lazy race now, prone to gambling or just...wasting away without writing names. Doing nothing at all until they run out of accumulated years and turn to dust.”

 

L was silent through the whole explanation, letting Light take his comfort where he needed to and settling back down to offer it in his own small way when he felt like Light was denying himself, not wanting to interrupt with any questions or comments. He wasn’t sure Light would have any answers for him, in any case. But the story he relayed was fascinating… and a little sad. _What must it be like to be effectively immortal yet have no purpose other than to kill? Especially when people don’t believe in the shinigami anymore, when they are regarded as nothing more than folk tales or myths?_

 

Light gave L a searching look. _Does he even believe me? I suppose he must since he’s seen the evidence._ “Ryuk was different though. He told me he was so bored he didn’t even feel alive. He stole a death note from another shinigami and dropped it on earth, just for fun. And that’s what he’s here for---amusement, relieving his boredom. That’s what I am to him. A show and a good time.” Light took L’s hand and squeezed it softly as he whispered, “And I can _do_ that L, I’m used to being the show, performing. I’ve kept him entertained, to the point that I don’t think he’d write my name unless the game was well and truly done, curtains down and nothing more to see.” He sighed, resting his forehead on L’s for a moment to focus and calm himself. “So you see now why it’s so important to me you two get along. He’s not unreasonable, and I know he’ll warm to you if you give him a chance. But to his eyes, you may ruin the best time he’s had in millennia and maybe he’s just being protective of that.”

 

Light had tried to fathom in the past what immortality must feel like, and he had asked Ryuk once to describe it. “After we’d been together a month or so, he told me that he’d almost given up writing names. That that was how most shinigami had dwindled to their small numbers now. Apathy and...I suppose, suicide? That when all you have before you and behind you is a vast nothingness, there’s only so long you can trudge across the desert with small sips of water. That’s how he explained it to me.” _And that this was like stepping under the waterfall when only the memory of water had remained._ “He doesn’t want to lose this fun. But I know, L, that you can win him over.”

 

L squeezed Light’s hand, and brought the fingers of his free hand up stroke against the teen’s cheek before whispering, “You have a lot of faith in me, considering I just pissed him off. I’m not sure I deserve it yet, but I _refuse_ to lose you due to my own pride being bruised. I’m sorry for being a prat, Light.” He pressed a soft kiss to Light’s mouth, lips curving somewhat into a smile before he murmured, “One sec.”

 

Carefully, L pulled away, sitting up and feeling around on his side of the bed, and thankfully, it wasn’t long before his fingers closed around his phone. _Maybe I can fix one of my stupid mistakes, regardless of whether or not he cared if I told him,_ he thought, flipping it open and scooting back down to hug the teen as he typed into his memo function. “Maybe if I had been able to do this on _my_ terms, I wouldn’t have botched it up,” L said with a red-faced chuckle, handing Light the phone, open to display ‘ _L Lawliet_ ’. “What I wanted to do sounded stupid when I said it out loud, but in my head, it felt more.. Significant? Or maybe just symbolic.” He was stalling again. Swallowing hard, L forced himself to just spit it out, mumbling, “I really _am_ sorry. I know you were bothered by my… dodging. Force of habit, especially when I’m out of sorts. I’m not used to being threatened so... directly. I’ll do better. And thank you for telling me about the Shinigami realm. It puts some things into perspective. I suppose I should treat him with more respect than I showed tonight, yeah?” _Maybe with less brattiness at first. And I think I know how to start._

 

Light gave him a grateful smile when L showed him the phone screen, a warmth spreading through him at the evidence of L’s trust. “I know that must have been difficult to do after hiding who you were your whole life. Thank you, L.” He appreciated that L wanted to tell him on his own terms, and he’d been fine with that too. But Light knew that sometimes Ryuk had terms too, and getting the shinigami to feel at ease with both of them was crucial. He had a hunch that Ryuk had probably been watching them to see what would happen after he left, and Light hoped he had. “ _Lowlight.”_ He sounded out the name as he giggled in L’s arms. “You’re right, it is a little ironic. But then, so is the kanji for my name, which I’m sure you’ve seen.” He traced it on L’s bare chest now, _night god moon._

 

“What you were saying before, about telling someone else about me...Watari…” Light felt uneasy given he’d never met this person, but L seemed to think they would be valuable help, or perhaps just necessary for L’s help. “...it makes me nervous but I trust your discretion. If you think he needs to know and that he won’t do anything rash, you can tell him.” Light squeezed L anxiously. “But god, _please_ tell me how that conversation goes right away so I don’t agonize over it.”

 

“I promise,” L murmured, nodding and squeezing Light back gratefully.

 

Light remembered his lack of a phone now and swore quietly under his breath. Softly, “I can’t believe I crushed my phone like an idiot. I guess you have my email though, I usually get home from school around 4 pm and I’ll try to explain to my parents it fell down a storm drain or something.”

 

A slight pang of guilt went through L when Light brought up his smashed phone, and he sighed, fingers idly stroking against Light’s skin as his mind raced. _I’ll replace the phone tomorrow. It wouldn’t have been smashed if he wasn’t with me, and it’s not like I can’t afford it. It’s the least I can do. But… I should let him sleep for now. He’s going to need it._

 

Light laughed tiredly, eyes closing as the weight of the day finally settled on him. He was too sleepy to kiss L goodnight properly, so just kissed the skin in front of his lips. Drifting, “I better...get a few hours sleep before school. Good luck with Ryuk….” Light fell into a deep sleep before he could finish the sentence, exhausted in every way someone could be.

 

L chuckled and kissed Light’s hair as the teen drifted off, a relieved smile spreading across his face as he finally relaxed. “Thank you, Light,” he whispered, even though he knew that Light couldn’t hear him. Bringing his phone up again, he deleted the note, and instead opened up his internet browser, checking news feeds for any mention of Truize. Almost immediately, he got over a dozen current results, and a fierce grin broke out when he saw that there were multiple people live tweeting the confessions, as well as multiple video and audio live streams going on simultaneously. “And _that_ is the justice of Kira,” he murmured, heart pounding hard, tightening his fingers around Light’s shoulders slightly. _And L. Thank you, Light._

 

He followed the tweets a little longer before switching over to his text messages, opening the message thread with Watari. The man had sent him only one message this evening, apparently around the time he and Light had been on the balcony. **“Are you returning tonight?”**

 

“Oops,” L murmured, typing as quickly as he could one-handed. **“No. I got detained unexpectedly and am staying elsewhere. I will return tomorrow. Please inform Wedy’s team to begin removing surveillance from the Yagami and Kitamura households tomorrow at the earliest convenience.”**

 

**“It’s a day earlier than your original outline. Why do you want to remove it?”**

 

L hesitated, looking down at the teen’s head pillowed against his chest, warmth spreading through him at the sight. “Because I’m in love with my lead suspect,” he whispered, giggling softly to himself. _Or rather, with Kira_. Reluctantly, he eased away from Light, sitting up and typing back, thumbs moving rapidly over the keys.

 

**“That is an issue better discussed in person. I will tell you tomorrow. In the meantime, if anyone asks, which I doubt they will, tell them there was no evidence either for or against, and further surveillance is unnecessary. Thank you, Watari.”**

 

**“Is everything alright, Ryuzaki? Yagami texted me an hour ago expressing concern over your absence. And this is highly unlike you.”**

 

“Please stop asking until I can explain in person,” L murmured, rolling his eyes and trying to ignore the guilt swirling in his stomach. _I’ll have to do something to make up for how much anxiety I’ve put Chief Yagami through this week…_

 

**“Everything is fine. Thank you both for your concern, though. I appreciate it. Goodnight, Watari.”**

  
He was thankful when Watari only responded with a **“You’re welcome”** , and he took that moment to set an alarm on his phone for 5 am. _That will give me time to order breakfast for Light, and for both of us to get clean,_ he thought with a snicker, already switching back to his internet browser. Just one more little detail he needed to take care of… reaching out for the bowl of cherries, L plucked out a handful and munched idly as he clicked around on Ticketmaster, glancing back at the sleeping teen with a smile when the transaction went through. Sighing contentedly, L lay back down, tucking his phone under his pillow before curling an arm around Light and trying to catch some sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ghost: L's got some really bad habits to break. And I can't believe he tried to sass a god of death!  
> ZJ: L will learn there's at least one person who won't take his shit. BUT once he wins Ryuk over (not too complex to do, come on) they might have a few things in common.


	23. How To Tame Your Shinigami...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Light heads to school, leaving L and Ryuk to finally get a chance to chat properly and make some headway in getting over their differences.

The sound of his alarm going off startled L awake, and he blearily scrambled for the phone to shut it off, heart pounding rapidly. _Good, I actually slept until it went off_ , he thought, sitting up with a yawn and, bringing his phone with him so he could start listening to the news reports coming in, stumbled into the washroom.

 

Light grumbled and grabbed a pillow, stuffing it over his head when he heard the alarm go off. “Ugghhhhh.” Through the fog of sleep, he recalled having to get up for school, and groaned even louder. He hadn’t gotten much rest, maybe only a couple hours, just enough to wish he could get more.

 

L was scrubbing cold water over his face a minute later when he thought he heard movement, and he muted his phone and straightened up, calling out, “Light? Are you awake?”

 

His voice was muffled as Light called back to L, “Yes...I’m getting there, at least.” But still, he grinned into the pillow before tossing it away, hearing L’s voice had cheered him up immensely and actually gave him a reason to get out of bed.

 

 _Oops._ L looked down and smiled a little when he heard Light respond, and called back, “Sorry, I tried to shut my alarm off before it woke you. I meant to come in and do it myself.”

 

Light gradually sat up and rubbed his eyes, stretching as he looked around for L. _Must be in the bathroom._ “L...please for the love of chocolate tell me there’s coffee somewhere in this room.”

 

Turning off the water, L dried his hands, and turned the volume back on on his phone, reducing it slightly and flicking through various headlines as he added, “I haven’t looked yet. We might have to order it up with breakfast.”

 

Light shifted his feet to the floor and felt a little pang of anxiety recalling that Ryuk would be with L today...and that L would be telling someone about Kira. _Please L, keep your temper and buy lots of apples._ He got up and wandered into the bathroom, stumbling slightly due to his lack of sleep. Smiling, “Good morning, beautiful. I don’t know how you look so bright-eyed on two hours of sleep.”

 

L was so preoccupied with reading the various bits of commentary that hearing Light’s voice _right_ behind him startled him slightly, but that was quickly washed away by the giddy rush of hearing Light call him _beautiful._  “I’m not sure how _bright eyed_ I look with these raccoon eyes, but thank you,” he murmured with a smile.

 

Light wrapped his arms around L from behind, kissing him on the cheek. “I’m sure I have the most odious morning breath known to man, but you get a kiss anyway.” His eyes darted to the clock on the wall, “I probably need to leave here around 7 to make the train back to school.” But that gave them a couple hours to get cleaned up and something to eat. His chocolate mousse had turned into an unappetizing brown puddle in the night, and he needed something a little more substantial to get through the day. _First, I need a shower, badly._ Light whispered in L’s ear, “I’m so filthy I think I hear myself crinkling. Will you hop in the shower with me?”

 

L leaned back into the embrace, smile widening as he turned his head into the kiss. “And I _usually_ only get a couple hours sleep at a time, so I’m used to being alert.” Turning around, he grinned and kissed him properly before pulling away. “Besides, I’m sure _my_ breath isn’t much better. I don’t care. But yes, shower first, everything else later.” He set his phone down, closing out his browser and chuckled softly. “I’m going to have a good time later when I finally get to sit down and read through all the articles coming out on Truize. Kira gives me _good_ presents.” Dropping another kiss to Light’s cheek, he turned away and went to start the shower running, limping a little. “Thank you for that.”

 

Light immediately brightened up at the mention of Truize, laughing excitedly. “Oh shit, I can’t wait to read about that. I hope his ‘downfall’ was appropriately humiliating.” Grinning widely now, he stuck a hand in the shower to test the warmth of the water. “I wonder if people are going to be talking about it at school. He’s pretty famous even in Japan.” He stepped into the shower and under the warm spray, letting the water cascade down his face a moment to wake him up the last little bit. It was always thrilling to see the world react to Kira’s kills, especially when they were someone high profile or unexpected, someone who thought they were safe and untouchable.

 

“I watched a little of the live tweets,” L said eagerly, grinning so widely that his face hurt, but unable to contain it. “Multiple people were there, not _just_ the paparazzi, so there were a few pap video livestreams, multiple audio streams, and at least _half a dozen_ people live tweeting everything. I was just listening to one of the news reports, but… that can wait. I scrolled through at least three pages of headlines already, and there must be over a hundred results. This is getting _huge_ coverage.”

 

Light turned and stepped out of the water so L could step in, taking some body wash and started to scrub himself happily. “Kira is glad to give you all the presents like that you want, L. In fact…” His hand stilled as he tilted his head and gave L a curious smile. “I bet you have some kind of list don’t you? Of criminals out there that have either gotten away with something or just disappeared? Hmmm…” That was an enticing idea, because even Light knew that many, many criminals (and probably much worse than they showed on the news) were out there in the shadows, hiding from Kira now.

 

L stepped in to wet himself down, already holding the bar of soap he’d used earlier and immediately set to scrubbing away the stickiness from their night. “Oh... yes. You are correct. My list is… extensive. I don’t think you’re aware of just _how many_ criminals there are behind the scenes. There are some who have hidden themselves so far underground that _I_ can’t even find them. What I _do_ have, however, is just what _Kira_ needs.”

 

L gave him a significant look and then smiled. “I think I would like to hold off on that for a short while, though, at least until I’m able to get Watari caught up to speed. I told him to get the surveillance down today, so it should be gone by the time you get home.” He paused, letting the water rinse away the suds on his skin before limping out from underneath the spray. “Though… I suspect he might put two and two together once he hears the news about Truize. He might remember how upset I was when that case got thrown out.” _Back when I was a little more idealistic, and less willing to do bad things to get justice served._

 

Light’s smile flickered slightly as he noticed L’s limp, and trailed a hand down the man’s arm. “Oh no, I didn’t hurt you did I?” Light certainly had gotten a little rough last night, but it wasn’t with the intent to cause L any pain. Plus, it was something that other people might notice. “Um...maybe you stubbed your toe?” He gave L an embarrassed smile, hugging him under the water. “Anyway, sorry about that.” He kissed L on the lips and went back to cleaning himself up, humming happily with Truize’s demise and all the fun they’d had last night on his mind.

 

When Light asked if he’d hurt him, L gave him a confused look. “Huh?” The hug and the apology made him blush when he realized what Light must be talking about. Kissing Light back, L giggled when the teen pulled away, saying slyly, “Oh, well… I was asking for it, so… please don’t apologize.” He let out a contented sigh as he took that moment to run his fingers through his soaked hair, combing out the rat’s nest of tangles that had resulted from being pounded into the bed with damp hair. “I would do it again in a _heartbeat_.” L stepped out to let Light get the full force of the water and began drying off, grinning again. “By the way, I got _you_ a present last night. Since I’m going to _assume_ that the friend you were planning on getting tickets from was _Misa._ There were still a few really good tickets left.”

 

Light let out an excited gasp when L said he’d gotten tickets to the concert after all, stopping mid-scrub as he was lathering his hair. “What?! You did?” He pulled L into a wet hug, sudsy shampoo in his eyes (and L nearly dry) be damned, because he’d been _sorely_ disappointed that he wouldn’t have been able to ask for them from Misa. “That’s so awesome, thank you!” Light pulled back with a huge grin on his face, thinking that this morning was just getting better and better. He winced and wiped the soap from his eyes, sticking his head under the water to rinse his hair. “I can’t _wait_ , and it will be so much more fun with you there.” He was already mentally running through what he was going to wear, how he’d convince his parents to let him stay out all night somehow, maybe as a reward for ‘suffering’ through the exam.

 

L laughed when Light pulled him into a hug, rolling his eyes slightly when he got wet again, and kissed his cheek. “You’re welcome,” he said, heart fluttering madly in his chest. It felt _good_ to make Light so happy. This time, he knew he was going to have a difficult time keeping his happiness to himself when he got back to headquarters. “It was no problem. And was one of the things I was half preoccupied with last night, honestly. I wasn’t sure if the show would be sold out.” _I’m glad it wasn’t_. He reached up to wipe some suds out of Light’s eyes and smiled happily as he added, “I’ve never had anyone to go to a concert with before, so I’m happy I’m able to share one of my favourite things with _you._ ”

 

Light followed L out of the shower when he was clean, grabbing a towel and drying his hair. “I’m pretty sure this grin is permanently plastered on my face today.” He giggled, thinking that everyone at school would be asking him what the hell was up if he didn’t work hard to appear ‘normal.’ Light walked back into the bedroom and pulled out the room service menu, flicking through it to check out the breakfast options. “Hmmm. They have Japanese and Western breakfast, but I’m absolutely ravenous. I think.....oh god, chocolate pancakes?” Light bit his lip, thinking maybe he was indulging far too much in unhealthy food lately. “I should probably just get the bran muffin and some fruit. I haven’t been running as much this week as I should, either.” _Damn those pancakes sound good though._ He shrugged, handing the menu to L, “I guess I’ll be bad and get the junk food. I think you’re a bad influence on me, you and your delicious desserts.” He was joking obviously, and pecked L on the cheek as he went to get the backpack Shinji had given him.

 

L was still smiling when he stepped back into the main room, pulling his jeans on as he peeked over Light’s shoulder at the menu. “You’ve gotten _other_ kinds of exercise, at least last night,” he teased, smirking down at Light. “I’m going to be even _more_ of a bad influence, and just finish my dessert from last night. I’ll order room service this time, if you like. Pot of coffee, and the chocolate pancakes for you, anything else?”

 

“Nothing else for me.” Light got dressed after trying to knock out all the wrinkles from the school uniform, and frowned in the mirror as he looked himself over with a sigh. “I don’t look as good as I usually do. Well, I guess it can’t be helped.” He cinched the belt tighter, Shinji was a little bigger around the middle. Light sat on the bed as he carefully folded up his own clothes and put them in the backpack. “That’s exciting that you do have a list of criminals, L, and I agree we shouldn’t make any big moves like that until we know the situation with your investigation a little better.” _And how Watari will react to all of this._

  
As L made the call ( _and two bananas, please_ ), he found himself snorting at Light’s commentary, eyeing him. “You make everything look good, Light,” he declared. “Besides, all my clothes tend to fit like that. Are you saying I _don’t_ look good?” L was only teasing, obviously, though he half suspected that Light would probably make some sort of flirty comment about liking his clothes better on the floor. _Especially since he seems excited by the prospect of my having a list for us to work through in the coming weeks,_ he thought with a grin as he pulled his shirt back on, moving to kneel down on the bed carefully, pulling his abandoned cake onto his lap and taking a bite. It had gotten warmer, but it still tasted fine, so he shrugged and took another bite, watching Light fold up his clothes and store them.

 

Light’s horrified expression at L digging into the old, likely stale, and definitely improperly refrigerated cake melted quickly as he registered the compliment, smiling into the mirror as he smoothed his wet hair. “I suppose it’s not so bad.” He turned around, draping his arms around L and nipping at his neck, “Who cares what you wear when I’ll just be ripping it off you right away?” He grinned and stepped back to let L make the room service call, carefully collecting all his things from the room, including the little scrap of used-up death note. He opened his backpack and put it in the pocket of his own pants, making a mental note to burn it later when he was home and alone, and to replace it with a new blank one in his watch.

 

Even though L had anticipated the comment, hearing it still made his heart race, and he gave Light an amused sidelong look. “That’s teasing,” he murmured, voice a little breathy as he tried to look stern and failed utterly. He laid his now empty plate back on the cart, collecting his teacup from the bedside table and depositing it on the cart as well.

 

“Damn. I’m going to need some train fare.” Light thought he’d had enough last night, but realized now that he was further from home than his usual one-stop ticket to school. He turned a beautiful smile to L, sidling up to him and nuzzling his hair. “Seems I’m a little bit short on money for the train this morning, darling. Would you help me?” His hand slid down the back of L’s jeans and into his pocket, squeezing, “I promise I’ll pay you back later _somehow._ ”

 

L paused, breath catching as Light leaned back in to nuzzle at his hair...  _Now I’m darling?_ He giggled, turning his head to see that beautiful smile before saying softly, “You don’t have to lay on the charm so thick, Light, I’m already spoiling you.” _And now I want you again. Like usual._ “You _really_ like getting me all hot and bothered before we get room service, don’t you?” he teased, shifting into a more comfortable sitting position before tugging Light into his lap, arms snaking around the teen’s waist as he smiled up at him. “Of _course_ you can have train fare, I’m not going to strand you.”

 

Light gave him a smug look, “Maybe I just _like_ charming you, even if I know you’re already spoiling me.” He let himself be pulled into L’s lap, playing with L’s still-damp hair and trying to make some sense of its discombobulation. “I swear I’m not trying to get you _bothered_. I’m already going to have a hard enough time getting through the day already without going into class looking all fucked-out.”

 

 _Well, I like your methods of charming me_ , L thought, pressing a soft kiss to Light’s mouth and enjoying the feeling of fingers in his hair before pulling back again to smile up at him. “Is it bad that I enjoy the idea of you going into class looking all ‘fucked out’? I’m going to be heading back to work again looking like I got ridden hard and put away wet.” _Literally_ , he thought, chuckling.

 

That mental image made Light giggle into L’s neck, “My teacher already hates my guts for knowing more about the subjects than he does.” With a bit of self-satisfaction in his voice, “Of course he’d never _say_ it, given I’m the premier show pony of that dreadful place.” He sat up straighter, affecting a mockery of his principal’s high nasally voice, “Yagami Light, please continue to do you very best this quarter! We’re so proud of you!” He rolled his eyes, going back to his regular voice, “He says that every quarter since he gets a fat bonus for having the top-scoring student in Japan at his school. Pfft. He thinks I don’t know.” It did seem unfair though. Why should Principal Nakamura get a nice payday because Light was doing something well? That was just the way of it, but he contented with knowing he wouldn’t be there much longer.

 

Light’s impression of his teacher’s voice (L assumed, anyway) made L laugh harder, shaking his head as he rested his hands at the small of Light’s back. “Can you really blame him? It’s a prestigious honour, don’t you know.” He nodded in understanding, falling quiet as he remembered how Roger had treated him when he’d been taking classes at Wammy’s. Much the same, disdain thinly veiled with pride over teaching the smartest child in England… right up until he’d abruptly stopped taking the classes around 16. After all, he’d been making money as a detective for seven years by that point, silly things like _classes_ and _graduating_ hadn’t exactly been a priority anymore, especially since by that point he was starting to travel for certain cases. Watari hadn’t been overly pleased by it, true, but he hadn’t dissuaded L from his decision once he’d made it. _That isn’t the only reason you dropped out, though_ , a traitorous voice whispered in the back of his head, and L firmly shoved that thought aside before it could ruin his mood.

 

Light stood up when he heard a knock on the door, grateful the service was quick and he was dressed. “You stay there, I’ll get it.” Light kissed L with a little smile and went to the door, opening it without a hint of embarrassment this time.

 

The timid woman on the other side breathed an audible sigh of relief to see someone _clothed_ on the other side, although her gaze flicked past him and onto L still sitting on the bed which made her flush. Snapping her eyes back to Light, “Y-your breakfast...sirs?” She just now seemed to register that all the obscene sounds and noises that had been emanating from the room all last night were being made by these two men.

 

When Light pulled away to answer the door, L smiled slightly, that little kiss bringing a light flush to his cheeks as he slumped back a little against his hands. He heard the relieved sigh from the door, and looked up curiously, sitting up straighter and blushing madly when he recognized the woman who had brought their food a few hours earlier peeking into the room at him. _Oh crap. Why is she being nosy?_ He looked down immediately, pulling his hands into his lap and silently praying for the exchange at the door to be over soon.

 

Light’s mouth tugged down at the corners, but he pulled the cart inside. “Thank you very much.” Stopping before she walked away, he leaned forward to speak softer, “After we check out, please check the room for a tip. We appreciate your _helpful_ service...and your discretion.” _Sorry L, you’ll have to pony up for another charge._ A meaningful look passed between Light and the worker, and she nodded in understanding, giving him a little smile and a bow as she hurried back down the hall.

 

He closed the door and wheeled the cart closer, smiling at L as he poured some coffee. “As distasteful as bribery is…” He laughed, adding some milk and stirring it around. “Anyway, I think that should solve our little problem with any gossiping the staff may do.” He gathered a tray with his pancakes and coffee and sat back on the bed, cutting a bite to taste it. He hummed with his mouth full, “Ohhh. Glad I didn’t get the fucking bran muffin.”

 

Light’s comment about bribery pulled a quiet huff from him and L glanced up at Light before clearing his throat. “So, uh… _yeah_. That was the same lady who basically saw me naked,” L said. He quickly got up and went to find his coat, rummaging in the pockets now for his wallet and sitting back on the bed, grabbing one of the bananas before checking how much money he had on him. “How much of a tip do _you_ recommend leaving her for her discretion, then?” L asked, curious what Light would say, lips twitching in amusement at the way the teen was _loudly_ enjoying the pancakes. Which _did_ look delicious. Whatever Light said, he planned on at least doubling it.

 

Light paused eating his breakfast to dab politely at some chocolate on his mouth and considered L’s question. He didn’t know that much about money in a practical sense, never having been allowed to have a job himself, and what money he got as gifts from family he’d always just put into his stock trading account, thus becoming theoretical. “Um...maybe 10,000 yen? I’m not sure really. You’re the one always staying in hotels so I’m sure you must have tipped people before.” He added with a sly smile, “Although probably not for _this_ reason.” He cut off a bite of his pancake, dipping it in a dollop of whipped cream, and held it out to mollify L. “Here, try a bite, it’s really good.” He slipped the fork between L’s lips, watching them intently as they closed around the pancake. Quieter, “See, you think I’m being nice, but really I just wanted a _nice_ mental image to get me through the day.”

 

“No, never for _this_ reason,” L murmured, laughing quietly again, giving Light a look before taking the proffered bite of pancake. _Oh god, those ARE good_ , he thought, eyes fluttering shut briefly as he chewed. Light’s comment made him laugh, and he looked at the teen again, smiling. “Wait, is this a sex thing where you like to see me with something in my mouth?” L teased, working out the conversion in his head as Light looked away. _Only 10,000 yen? That’s not even $100 US._

 

Light glanced up at the clock and he hissed, “Shit! It’s almost 7 already?” He put the fork down and hurriedly gathered up his things, slinging his backpack on and doing a last check that his tie was straight in the mirror.

 

When Light started running around to gather his things, L grinned and slipped the suggested amount onto the dresser for Light’s ‘train fare’. It might have been small change to him, but at least Light would have more than enough to make it to school and back, and enough left over to pick up something for himself if he wanted, once he realized he had the extra spending money. It really made him feel happy to spoil Light in little ways.

 

Light turned around with a smile, bending to give L a chocolaty kiss for a little longer than his current state of lateness should have permitted. Pulling back, he cupped L’s face in his hand, “I have to go now, but I had...well, the best day of my life last night. Although I didn’t think it was going to be that way. Each day I spend with you keeps feeling like the best day.” He blushed, feeling a little sappy, but unable to hide the happiness he held inside. Leaning back up, he walked to the nightstand to take the train fare L had left, depositing his room key in its place. “Remember, apples are your friend with it comes to you-know-who.”

 

That lingering, chocolaty kiss pulled a sigh from him, and L smiled at the little blush on Light’s cheeks before murmuring, “Every day with you _is_ the best day of my life, Light.” _I wish you didn’t have to go, but…_

 

Light paused at the door, feeling a heaviness to leave, and turned to give L one last smile. “Thank you, L, for everything. It means _everything._ ” And before he could say anything else embarrassing, he made himself leave, breaking into a half-run to make it to the train in time.

 

L had to admit, the beautiful smile he received from the teen as he rushed out the door helped _immensely_ to alleviate the slight sense of loss he felt. It certainly made him feel a little less alone to know that he was going to be able to see Light the very next day. _I’m going to miss him, though._ With a soft sigh, L poured himself a cup of coffee, sweetening it to his liking before going to grab the bag of apples from the night before.

  
  
“Ryuk?” he called out softly, reaching in and grabbing the apples and the remaining bottle of soda from the bag. He took a sip of coffee as he waited, apple in hand. “If you’re around and feel like chatting, you can come out now.”

 

Ryuk had been perched on a cell phone antenna across from the Sakura, boredly watching the morning commuters and occasionally poking at the pigeons, startling them to shit on the pedestrians’ heads below. “Heh, gonna look nice at work with that bird poop on your cheap toupee, Mr. Yamamoto. Pahhhh!” He sat up straighter when he saw Light dash out of the hotel and make a brisk bee-line for the stairs to the train tunnel across the block, settling back down as his shinigami eyes turned to the third floor balcony room and zeroed inside. _Why you leaving me with him, Light-o? The guy don’t even like me._ He let out a long sigh as he heard that tiresome spikey-haired detective call for him instead of snap. “Yeah yeah yeah, ain’t you ‘sposed to be a genius? Whelp.” He heaved himself up off the antenna, scattering all the neighboring pigeons, and phased into the hotel room.

 

He saw L sipping coffee from the bed, but his attention was immediately caught by the large and luscious looking apple the human was holding. Suddenly the prospect of staying with L seemed much brighter, since Light couldn’t sneak him any apples at all while he was at school. “Uhhh, guess I’m here.” He shuffled forward towards the apple, salivating slightly as he pointed to it with an obsidian claw. “Can I have that?” It was a terrible nuisance that everything he took or ate in the human realm had to be directly given to him or following verbal permission from Light to take something, but that was just the rule so he couldn’t question it.

 

 _Hmm. He actually came when I called instead of snapped, I didn’t think he would._ L looked up at Ryuk and smiled slightly. The story that Light had relayed to him the night before played through his mind and he couldn’t help but feel a sort of odd kinship with the demon as he thought of his relatively friendless childhood. It wasn’t remotely the same, but it was as similar as an immortal and a mortal being could be, under the circumstances. They didn’t like each other yet, maybe, but that was okay.

 

“Thank you for coming,” L said softly, offering the apple up to Ryuk in the palm of his hand and nodding. He felt oddly compelled to apologize for getting snippy hours earlier, but something told him that Ryuk wouldn’t necessarily put much stock in that. After all, the shinigami had been able to read him like a book, something which not even _Light_ had been able to do accurately at first. “I wasn’t sure you would. The soda is yours if you’d like it, and if not, that’s fine. Either way, I’ll be purchasing more apples for you once I’m done with my coffee.” He desperately wanted to ask his first question, but he refrained for now. That could wait. The goal right now was to try and mollify the shinigami, maybe earn some sort of truce before getting down to information gathering. The soda was a gamble, Light hadn’t said anything about whether or not Ryuk enjoyed any other human food or drink aside from apples.

 

Ryuk grinned wide when L nodded in assent about the apple, that counted as permission enough. “Yeah!” He snatched it away and immediately tossed it into the air, opening up wide to swallow it whole. He relaxed a little, munching messily as he hovered cross-legged next to L. He figured that this probably wouldn’t be so bad if he was getting an apple right off the bat, and his eyes bugged a little when he heard L say he was going to buy _more._ Usually Light only gave him a couple apples in the whole day, but some of that was just due to timing issues or not wanting to be too suspicious. “Whaa? Heh, well don’t let me stop ya there!”

 

Watching Ryuk throw the apple into the air made L giggle, and he ducked his head a little. Well, at least he wasn’t the _only_ one in Light’s life who liked to play with their food. He glanced to the side when Ryuk came to hover beside him, and it reminded him a little of the time when he was six and Watari had taken him on a walk during a snowy winter day only to come across a small herd of wild deer. Watari had been trying to teach him some lesson or other about patience, and that was the only time the lesson had really stuck, that day when Watari had given him a handful of berries and told him to ‘ _wait, don’t move, let them come to you.’_  He had only gotten one of them eating out of the palm of his hand, and he had never been able to replicate it, but it had been a magical moment for the six year old who had just been transplanted to another country and was having a hard time adjusting. _Ryuk is much more dangerous than a deer_ , he reminded himself, though that only made the moment feel that much more important by comparison.

 

Ryuk turned upside down to look at the soda in the bag, peeking in there. “Never had a soda before, Light-o don’t really drink ‘em. Hmmm.” He doubted it would be as good as apples, but he was infernally curious and wasn’t one to turn down a new experience in the human world. He plucked it from the bag between pinched talons and righted himself, turning it over in his hand. “Eh, looks like the good part’s inside, huh?” He’d made the mistake of eating something plastic before, a small bag of chips Light had thrown to him had gone right down his gullet and that had been a rather unpleasant experience. After a moment staring at the bottle, he held it above his mouth and jabbed the plastic with his claw, making a stream of carbonated soda shoot right out the side and hit him in the eye. “HYUK!” He blinked and directed the spray lower into his mouth, gobbling it up with relish. “Hrmm mmm mmm hhhhghghghhhh…” When it was all gone (or the pressure had just subsided), he tilted it to get the last drops and chucked it behind him. “Pretty good. Better if it was apple flavor though.”

 

L smiled in genuine amusement at the shinigami’s curiosity with the soda bottle. “I could always-” he started, only to trail off with a wide eyed look as soda shot out the side of the bottle to hit Ryuk in the face. _Oh no._ Ryuk seemed to take it in stride, though, and even seemed to enjoy it. Another giggled bubbled out of him, and L pointed out with a grin, “Well, there _are_ sodas that are apple flavoured, too. I’ll pick up a couple, see if you like them. But next time, _I’ll_ open it for you, okay?”

 

Ryuk felt marginally sticky after being blasted with the soda, and flashed briefly to become incorporeal, making all the soda drops fall with a splat to the carpet. It didn’t bother him in the least that this human seemed amused by his behavior, he was used to Light laughing at him all the time and it had become a comfortable sound to his ears. Better than Light’s stony silences when he was feeling afraid or worried, when the tension was clear on his face. And Light would so often say one thing but be another, Ryuk rarely took his answers about his mood at face value. Ryuk knew that laughing, real laughing, meant humans were feeling some happiness and were relaxed. _Like I feel after getting apples, mm hmm._

 

“Fascinating,” L whispered to himself as he watched the way Ryuk was able to instantly become clean. That wasn’t exactly what had happened, of course, but it was still fascinating to him. _Light would probably be amused by the little things I find interesting,_  he thought. Picking up a second apple from in front of him and said, “Catch!” as he tossed it up to Ryuk, finishing off his coffee as he did. _He goes through apples like I go through strawberries_.

 

Ryuk looked up when L said ‘Catch,’ reaching out to grab another apple tossed his way. He gave L a sly smile as he took his time to eat this one, “This what you call a bribe? Like what Light was talking about with that girl at the door? Not that I mind, heh.” Except it seemed like the opposite thing, where that bribe had been to get her to forget something and this one was to get Ryuk to recall it. _Humans are so confusing._

 

L snorted slightly when the shinigami called him out on the ‘bribe’. “Guilty as charged,” he said, lips quirking into a brief smirk. “I find that I tend to react more evenly to things when I get something I want. I hoped you might have a similar temperament to myself.” Everything he had observed on his own about the shinigami seemed to suggest that was the case, and Light had essentially confirmed it, but he still thought it would be prudent to let Ryuk show him. _Or not, if he still doesn’t want to deal with me._ “I showed Light my name after you left last night.” He watched Ryuk, curious for the shinigami’s reaction. Would he be surprised, or had the shinigami been spying? If shinigami as a general rule could phase through solid objects in the human world, and he could _hear_ great distances, enough to come when summoned, it stood to reason that he could see through walls as well.

 

Ryuk floated down to sit on the bed, biting into the apple until only the core remained. That slipped down his throat too and he sucked the juice off each long finger, not wanting to miss anything. “Mmm hmm, I saw that you did that last night. Wasn’t much else to watch in the middle of the night, and Light knows I do watch him.” The shinigami shrugged because Light had never told him not to, and his constant vigilance had even been a boon a few times, like when he’d noticed Raye Penber tailing them. “Don’t worry, I don’t watch the squishy stuff. Light’s already told me to go write names during that time or whatever.” Ryuk still had his own death note and his own years to accrue, and unlike his lazier kin, he would observe and write names when he had a good opportunity to. Now that he had something interesting to watch.

 

Shrugging, L looked down, sighing a little before staring back up at the shinigami, not quite frowning, but definitely not smiling. “I wanted to talk to you initially just to get information. That is how I usually deal with most things or people in front of me, quite frankly - as fonts of information, or tools to be used. After our argument last night, I realized that I was treating you as far less than what you are, and it could get me killed to be so disrespectful.” He paused, and then said in a soft hush, “Or worse, it could get _Light_ killed. I don’t think either of us want that.”

 

“Still throwin’ me a little that you’re really working with him, but hey, I think that might be very amusing.” Ryuk’s eyes glowed at that idea, wondering what kind of havoc two morally grey geniuses could wreak down here. “He laughs a lot with you.” _I like to see him laugh._

 

 _Does he not laugh as much with other people?_ The simple observation Ryuk let slip so casually brought a pleased half smile to L’s lips, even as he looked down, admitting softly, “You may not be able to read my mind to understand everything I was dealing with last night, but you weren’t exactly... _wrong_ , either. And I can at least understand that you were just trying to protect Light. That’s what I want to do, as well.”

 

Ryuk rolled his eyes at the detective’s half-apology. _Nah, you were just dodging, but if Light’s ok with it...._ But the human’s words startled him. _Protect Light?_ It was odd for Ryuk to think about it that way, because he’d never put so fine a point on it as that. He made a thoughtful grumbling sound low in his throat, mulling that over in the carapace of his mind. Until a few days ago he would have cackled, saying he was only protecting his good time, since the absolute last thing he wanted to do was return to his rotting home world. As long as he was tied to a death note user here, he could stay and interact. Otherwise, he could only come in brief stints and even then was always invisible. But when Light had started to come out in the open to L, even before _Light_ knew who L was, Ryuk had. Mixed with the ironic amusement of watching Light date and even fall for his stated worst enemy had been a creeping worry of what would happen if Light died, if L killed him. _If I had to kill him because of L._ Sure, he’d get sent back to the realm but he could drop his notebook again for someone else to find, couldn’t he?

 

_I could. But it wouldn’t be Light. It wouldn’t be the same._

 

Ryuk gradually nodded, “‘Spose maybe I was.” It was all the admission L was likely to get, and all he could probably state without getting into trouble with the shinigami code. That L was now saying that he _also_ wanted to do that took some of the pressure off of Ryuk. Light could be reckless sometimes even if he was meticulously brilliant. Knowing that L felt that way made it much more likely that Ryuk would actually provide useful information rather than side-stepped half-truths and blather. Carefully, “I’m not like to kill someone helpin’ Light, if you mean to. The whole reason I’m down here is to see how far he can go.”

 

“I fully mean to help Light,” L said softly, throat tight at the admission Ryuk had given him. _I was right. He IS much like me._ Ryuk’s comment from earlier ( _Light laughs a lot with you_ ) played in his mind again, and the thought made him feel warm, looking down with a tiny smile as happy tears pricked at the corners of his eyes. He held up the last apple, offering it up to Ryuk. “You may have this one, but I would like to know first, if you would... when Light told me that _you_ would be the one to kill him, what exactly does that mean? That sounds like rather a… strange condition. It doesn’t make a lot of sense to me.”

 

Ryuk leaned back to scratch at the feathers around his shoulders, silently using his shinigami eyes to probe L when he asked about his role in writing Light’s name. “Ehh, that’s just how the death note works. I’m tied to it, and he’s bound to me through it, which is why I can’t leave him for very long. A consequence of usin’ it is...he no longer has a lifespan. His lifespan belongs to me, and one day I’ll be the one to write his name and take it.”

 

L took a deep breath, blinking rapidly before looking back up, all ears when Ryuk started talking about the death note bond. Most of it was information that Light had already told him, but he listened raptly anyway, wanting to hear the way Ryuk framed it, just in case there was anything Light had missed. _He no longer has a lifespan? Light didn’t tell me that. Interesting._ “Does owning the death note give him some sort of immunity to death?”

 

“Light ain’t immune to death ‘cause all kinds of situations he might get into might make me write it. Dunno what those are exactly. Probably if he got caught, mainly.” But Ryuk looked away, not liking that thought much at all, even though he knew it was his job as a shinigami to one day do it. “Other shinigami can’t do it, he’s off limits. Or if they tried, they’d die for breakin’ a rule.” Ryuk laughed, thinking back millenia to when another shinigami had tried to do that very thing and turned to dust before his eyes.

 

A chill went through L at Ryuk’s words, _‘Other shinigami can’t do it.’_ His gaze sharpened as he sat up straight. “ _What?_ ” That phrase played over and over in his mind, and he thought back to everything Light had told him about his ‘relationship’ with Misa, and all of her shinigami’s threats to kill Light. _She can’t kill him._ L clenched his fists, dimly sensing Ryuk squawk out and snatch the apple from his hand as he did.

 

Ryuk clutched the saved apple like a precious treasure, “Don’t go hurtin’ innocent apples!” He stuck his tongue out and started to munch it, keeping a careful eye on L as the human seemed to get a little more excited. He nibbled it, savoring it since he could smell this was the last in the room.

 

“Misa Amane’s shinigami cannot kill Light,” L breathed, eyes wide and feeling alternates waves of hot and cold rushing through him as he realized something Light had not mentioned to him. Either through an oversight, or because he didn’t know, himself.

 

 _Misa Amane’s shinigami?_ “Rem, you mean.” Ryuk darkened a little, he wasn’t on the best terms with Rem and not just because of what she was helping Misa do to Light (although that was certainly enough to catch his ire). “That Misa already killed one shinigami. Gelus.” Ryuk’s tone was not very kind here. He’d been somewhat friendly with Gelus, mainly because the two of them spent a lot of time looking through portals at the human world, much more than the others. “But naw, Rem can’t kill Light, although that’s probably not the worst of what he’s worried about her doing.” _And she would, too, if Light crossed her._ “Light, uh...loves his family. She could kill them.” He gestured to L before swallowing the last of the apple. “Or you.” He stopped there because maybe it would be tricky for Rem to kill L, although he hadn’t thought of it before. _Rem loves Misa, and if she killed L that might lengthen Misa’s lifespan and Rem would die. But only if L was doing something that would put Misa in danger._ He held back that bit since L didn’t seem to have any more apples, plus he didn’t know whether anything L was doing was putting Misa in danger.

 

 _Rem?_ L blinked up at Ryuk, and smiled a little, grateful for a name to attribute to her. “So Misa Amane is an abusive bitch who uses people and shinigami alike,” he mused out loud, bringing his thumb up to his mouth, biting thoughtfully at his thumbnail. “And she has _already_ killed one shinigami. Presumably through means other than the two ways I already know about. _Interesting.”_

 

This… this could be useful in coming up with an idea for dealing with Rem. L continued to muse out loud, voice hushing as he frowned hard, “Shinigami can _die._ By other means than failing to write names.” _Misa’s shinigami has been using threats against Light to keep him under Misa’s thumb, knowing full well that she cannot do a THING to stop him without killing herself. Devious. There’s no way that Light can know this, or he would not have fallen for such a blatant bluff. And if they can kill themselves by breaking THAT rule… how many other ways are there to kill a shinigami?_ He was so preoccupied with his thoughts that he forgot he didn’t have anything more to bribe Ryuk with for an answer, now the shinigami had eaten the rescued apple already. “Ryuk. Are there any other ways you know of that shinigami can die?” _And do we target Misa, or Rem? Which is the better way to take Amane out of the game?_

 

Ryuk barked coldly at the question, “What, you thinkin’ of killing me? Uh uh.” But he stopped himself, given that he’d just confirmed that there _were_ other ways. _Grrr dammit, me and my big mouth._ He grumbled at the slip, “Pfft. Get me some of that apple soda and I guess I’ll tell ya. If you promise not to try and kill me. You ain’t off limits _to me_.” Although Ryuk could only imagine Light’s wrath if he ever did such a thing. “And I’ll tell ya something interesting about Rem too, you might like to know.”

 

Ryuk’s asides pulled L’s head up and he stared hard at the shinigami before hissing in frustration. “No. I wouldn’t dream of killing you, Light would hate me for it. He told me last night he wanted us to get along. But this _Rem_ has been threatening to kill Light. Or so he told me.” He paused, looking around and standing up to start gathering his things. “Though, come to think of it, you likely know _that_ already. If we are going to get Light away from Misa, it’s clear from what you just told me that we need to eliminate Amane’s shinigami first, so no harm comes to any of Light’s… loved ones.” A slight flush coloured his face at the implication that Light _loved_ him, pulling a happy little smile from him despite the seriousness of the situation. Even the news that he might be _targeted_ because of that love wasn’t enough to dampen it.

 

Ryuk sat straight up with a big grin on his face when L said it was _REM_ he wanted dead. “OooooooH!” He cackled loudly, rubbing his long fingers together, and felt a little like zooming around the room in glee. On top of her being a giant wet blanket for at least the past 20,000 or so years, she’d just stood by doing jackall while Gelus killed himself for Misa and then had the gall to give Gelus’ death note to the human girl. Plus, she was always whispering to Misa about how to manipulate Light, helping the deluded girl get her ‘happiness’ in the fake relationship which only made Light miserable. He’d thought quite a few times about meddling in it, but Ryuk wasn’t permitted to really do that. But _technically,_ there weren’t any rules that he couldn’t tell _L_ things even if he wasn’t supposed to tell his own death note user.

 

He almost blurted out to L right then and there all the information that would have been helpful to know about that but he _really_ wanted some more apples and managed to coil his black tongue up in his mouth to prevent any more blabbing. But L had just shot up in his esteem immensely because watching that pale thorn in his side fall to dust would be _very_ amusing.

 

L glanced at the clock and swore softly. Their conversation hadn’t seemed to be that lengthy, but it had already been almost two hours, and it might be better to take the conversation elsewhere. “Alright, I need to check out. I think the staff might, ah…” His face reddened, “... prefer me _gone_ after last night.” He shrugged into his jacket before counting out 25,000 yen and setting it on top of the notepad on the table, writing out a short note ( _Thank you for everything._ ) for the young lady on her return. One of the bananas went into one of the deep pockets of his coat, and he peeled the other one, taking a bite as he grabbed Light’s door key and then his own, motioning with his head for Ryuk to follow him.

 

Ryuk was still cackling as L busied around the room, shrugging as L said they needed to leave. “Eh, whatever. I’m your shadow today, Lawli.” He bit his lip, busting into another laugh. _Yup, he’s Lawli alright._ His wings expanded out and he flapped behind L as they made to leave.

 

L couldn’t deny that Ryuk’s cackling was distracting, but if he could get used to _Matsuda’s_ squawking laughter, it would quickly become background noise, as well. When Ryuk called him _Lawli,_ however, he turned to frown heavily at the shinigami, mouthing it for a moment before asking dryly, “Why _Lawli,_ pray tell?” _If he says ‘like a lollipop’, I might go back on my promise and kill him anyway_ , he thought, though there was no real venom behind said thought. While he was standing there waiting for Ryuk to either answer him or laugh in his face, L pulled out his phone and went to the hotel’s website, grateful that Light had brought up the e-checkout option last night, and doing it now. _Thank goodness. No awkward conversations with the clerk, less potential of running into anyone else that might have heard our sexcapades last night._

 

Ryuk grimaced at the frown on L’s face regarding his chosen nickname, but it was too late now. When he liked somebody he always gave them a ‘nice’ nickname, and he had plenty of ‘not nice’ ones too for the people he found annoying. “Hyuk! You don’t like it? Hmph. Some people can’t be pleased. Thought cause you love treats so much you’d like it, like lollipop!” L’s scowl only deepened at that remark, making Ryuk snort softly and roll his eyes. “Fine, _L._ I’ll call you your boring-ass one-letter name, _L._ ” He stuck out his tongue, but sucked it back in quick remembering he’d probably be getting some more apples.

 

Oh god, he’d called it. L’s expression morphed into one of vague amusement as Ryuk started teasing him about his name, and he rolled his eyes, snorting as he said teasingly, “Thanks! I hate it.” Well... he didn’t hate it _that_ much, but at least Ryuk had meant the _sweets_ and not any sexual connotations. _No, that will come in once LIGHT hears my new nickname_ , he thought to himself, patting his pockets once more to make sure that he had both his phone and his wallet (both in the same pocket), and then heading for the door. Before opening it, he paused, remembering to set the keycards down on the table beside the door as he asked, “Do you have any favourite kinds of apples? I’m sure you know that I won’t be able to ask you in the store.”

 

“Favorite apples? Hmm, there’s different kinds?” Ryuk scratched his head, because the only two kinds _he_ knew of were shinigami apples (which tasted like dust) and human world apples. “Red ones.” He nodded, feeling very smart and accomplished for knowing so much about the food of this strange world. “Definitely red ones.”

  
Blinking, L looked up blankly at Ryuk when he said ‘red ones’. _Red ones._ He smiled, biting his lip to stifle a laugh and turning away, mouthing, ‘ _red_ _ones_ ’. _Whelp._ “Red ones it is,” L said carefully, still trying not to laugh as he stepped out into the hallway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ryuk was still a bit prickly, all things considered, but eventually L got there. Didn’t even seem to be too difficult.  
> Ryuk: Uh, maybe ya shoulda mentioned you wanted to kill Rem a little earlier, huh? Bahhahaha, can’t wait.  
> L: Yeah, that probably would have been helpful. I know I had the thought that we’re very similar, but I’m very aware that we DO have our differences, heh.


	24. Show and Tell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> L pumps Ryuk for information that might help them take on Rem, and hears a lot of surprising things. Light’s stuck at school, but everyone (including Shinji) is talking about Truize’s death.

Ryuk followed _Lawli_ down the hall, flapping behind him with his arms dangling down in front. “Uh, so I know you can’t talk to me in public, but Light-o would whistle a song for me if he wanted me to do something or tell me something.” Ryuk was immeasurably old and had a keen ear for the music of this world, and had heard about every song sung since the dawn of humans. Even though he couldn’t hear it through the portals themselves, he was on Earth often enough to hear it wherever he went. It was something he could always ‘steal’ from this world, no permission needed, unlike physical objects or food. “Like I’d ask him, ‘hey you writin’ any names tonight?’ and he’d whistle back…” Ryuk startled whistling ‘Let the Bodies Hit the Floor’ loudly, really putting his all into the off-key but still recognizable version. “Ok so maybe he’s better at the whistlin’ part than I am, but hey, I can just talk.”

 

As they walked down the hall and Ryuk relayed this new information to him, it took all of L’s willpower not to bust out laughing at that mental image. _Okay, Light whistling ‘Bodies’ is somehow rather fitting._ He glanced back obliquely, half hoping that Ryuk would ask him a question so he could try it out, though he wasn’t particularly great at whistling, himself. He’d probably just sing softly under his breath if he could find lyrics that fit, personally.

 

 _Oh wait. Duh._ A smirk crossed his face as he softly sang under his breath, “Tell me more, tell me more…” _It’s pretty bad when all I can think of to get him to potentially tell me something is lyrics from Grease. God, I hated that movie._ He stepped into the elevator behind an older lady, hoping she wouldn’t look too closely at where he’d come from. _Oh lord, she probably heard Light and I._

 

Ryuk snapped his fingers, “Hehh, yeah you got the hang of it.” He guessed that singing was as good as whistling to him, and Lawli had a nice singing voice too. He followed him inside the elevator, half-phased into the small Japanese woman due to the enclosed space but paying her no mind. “More? Uhh what else. Oh I know.” He laughed quietly, “‘Course I’m always askin’ for apples, and he’ll let me know if I can have any or not.” He starting whistling ‘The Waiting’ by Tom Petty right in the lady’s ear (although she couldn’t hear a thing), stopping abruptly with a forlorn sigh. “Yeah, it really is the hardest part.” Looking a little brighter, “But if he IS gonna gimme some…” Ryuk whistled ‘Anyway You Want It’ by Journey, and he really put a lot of heart into it, which was understandable since this was practically his favorite song to ever hear Light whistle.

 

L couldn’t help but giggle at Ryuk’s enthusiasm, surreptitiously tugging his phone out and pretending to be reading it when the lady shot him a glare, trying to cover for the way the shinigami was making him laugh. _Ugh, I shouldn’t be calling attention to myself._ His ruse didn’t seem to be working… or maybe she was just creeped out by his general appearance. It wouldn’t be the first time.

 

“Guess he kinda changes it up for fun though. I’m pretty good at figurin’ out what he means, plus it’s like a fun game, when we can’t really talk otherwise.” The shinigami noticed that L wasn’t really paying attention to him, grinning down at his phone while the lady was edging further and further into the corner of the elevator. Pouting, “Hyuk. Well, if ya just gonna look at yer phone, why’d ya ask.”

 

L’s gaze flickered up to the lady, flushing a little in embarrassment before looking back down at his phone hastily, humming a little under his breath, the chorus from “Reflections on the Screen” by Superorganism, hoping Ryuk would get the hint and check his phone to see that he wasn’t actually _looking_ at anything. _Will you know this one? You have the advantage of not being visible._ He idly tapped at his phone and then actually clicked open his browser for a moment to check the news feed about Truize again, just out of idle curiosity, tapping out the rhythm to Bodies now. _Oh geez, look at all these new headlines, this is going to take me FOREVER to get through the op-eds ALONE._

Thankfully, the elevator opened on the lobby just then, and the lady hurried out ahead of him with a sniff. L giggled as she left, shoving his hands in his pockets and walking out the front door and into fresh air, Ryuk following along like a dark shadow.

 

**\---Light’s high school, mid-morning---**

 

Light sat at his desk, staring out the same window looking out over the same field where he’d seen the death note fall from the sky. It had only been a few months since that day but felt like a lifetime ago, although the current situation he found himself in--bored, not wanting to be here, ignoring his teacher-- was familiar enough. _I wonder what L and Ryuk are getting up to right now._ He checked his watch but it was still only mid-morning.

 

Shinji had practically barrelled into him this morning as he’d gotten off the train, accosting him with the news on every student’s lips that day. “Light, can you believe it? Chad Truize fell off a balcony in front of a dozen photographers, pants around his knees and dick flapping in the breeze!” Shinji had giggled madly as they walked together, even though the kid looked like he’d gotten even less sleep than Light had last night. “Then he confessed to a whole bunch of awful shit on his deathbed! What a skank!”

 

Light had pretended to be very shocked but didn’t have to fake his amusement in the slightest, and wished he had his phone so he could laugh with L about it over text. “Huh, how strange. I guess you really never know the real lives of some of these celebrities.”

 

Shinji nodded, tears in his eyes as he laughed harder. “Not only that, but um…” He held his fingers apart just a couple inches, falling into incoherent giggles again as that brought a real snort from Light.

 

Light didn’t have much time to ask about the ‘small’ details and no way to check, he was already nearly late as he hurried to take his seat before the bell. He leaned over and whispered to Shinji as the teacher walked in, “By the way thanks for the uniform. I’ll drop it back off later.”

 

Shinji nodded, whispering back, “Have a good time?” He smirked at the barely visible bite mark on Light’s neck, peeking above the collar as Light leaned over.

 

Light leaned back and gave him a look like _don’t even go there._ “Not as much fun as I bet you had with--”

 

“Point taken!!!” Shinji blushed and flashed him a grin, turning his attention to the lecture now starting.

 

**\---meanwhile, in a deserted park in Shibuya district---**

 

“All I’m saying is that you shouldn’t make me laugh when I’m in the Starbucks queue, Ryuk,” L mumbled around his cake pop, glancing around and settling down in a nice shady spot against the low wall, setting the bag of apples (and soda) down beside him, latte in hand as he reached in and grabbed an apple, handing it off to Ryuk. “I was having a hard enough time _not_ cracking up over all the tiny dick jokes people were making about Truize.”

 

Ryuk lazed on the grass beside L, happy as a clam with his bag of apples (red ones!) and a 2-liter bottle of apple soda. Lawli had opened it for him this time so he didn’t get an eyeful of carbonation, and he’d take a slurping swig now and then, smacking his lips in delight. “Yeah yeah, sorry bout that. Guess Light-o’s pretty good at keepin’ a straight face ‘round folks. Can’t help it I guess.”

 

L grinned to himself, chewing on the pop in satisfaction for a few moments before glancing up at the demon. He wasn’t _usually_ so bad at keeping a straight face, but the whole thing was making him giddy. “Is this how it is for Light all the time after he makes a high profile kill?” He couldn’t help but have Truize on the brain - it had been all anyone in the shopping center and cafe had been _talking_ about. And that question had been burning in his mind for the past half hour. _I’ll ask about Rem in a minute. I definitely haven’t forgotten. Or maybe he’ll offer the information up again._

 

Ryuk knocked back an apple, pulpy bits flying around as he crunched. “In the beginning, Light-o got real interested in every kill, would watch the news all the time to see what people were sayin’ about Kira. If they were glad that so-and-so was dead, that kind of thing. When he got a real bad dude, he’d walk around all proud of himself, even though he wouldn’t say it, and show me some of the Kira websites people had talking about stuff he’d done.” Ryuk had always thought it was funny what humans would say and do when they thought no one was looking versus in front of other people. Shinigami saw both, and it was a source of much amusement in the realm. “Officially it seemed like there were more people against Kira but then these websites were everywhere, even beggin’ Kira to do the dirty on somebody or another.” Ryuk shrugged, “Sometimes he did.”

 

Watching Ryuk eat was an interesting phenomenon… mostly because the shinigami didn’t _care_ how messy he was. _That’s not how I look when I eat, is it?_ L wondered, an amused smirk plastered to his face nearly the entire time Ryuk spoke.

 

Ryuk shoved an apple in his maw and washed it down with some soda, taking a moment to smile stupidly. “Light-o never stopped paying attention but, uh, guess he couldn’t keep up with _everyone_. You know he’s taken out about 10,000 criminals so far right? Heh, that would be a lot of press to follow.” Ryuk did remember a few people that Light had followed extremely closely. “I think there was one guy he was real keen to kill, some Russian guy. Tzornov something. Ran some slavery ring I think? Dunno, he was pretty happy with the coverage on that. And he saved a lot of the articles from the uh...guys that did that chemical thing on the train where his Dad got hurt.”

 

L’s smirk faded into a scowl at the mention of Tzornov, because he _remembered_ that man and the despicable things he’d done, even if he hadn’t been involved in trying to take the monster down. “I can imagine,” L murmured, laying the chewed up stick down beside him on the ground and taking a sip of his latte. _If only the REST of the men in his operation could be wiped out. Now THAT would be something spectacular. They’re so deep in hiding, I can’t imagine Light’s been able to get to them, more’s the pity._

 

The mention of the sarin attack case brought a pleased smile back to L’s face, and he glanced up. “Were you listening to our conversation last night?” he asked, clarifying when Ryuk gave him a befuddled look, “When we were talking on the balcony. I was involved in that case when I was ten years old. It was actually a bit of a shock when he brought it up.” _And probably a big reason why… heh._ “And no, I honestly didn’t realize he’d gotten quite _that_ many criminals. That’s… a lot.” He stayed quiet for a long moment, just sipping at his latte and sneaking an apple into his coat pocket. With the way Ryuk was going to through them, he wouldn’t have anything left to give him by the time he had to leave, and he wanted to send Ryuk off with a new cell phone for Light, whenever that ended up being.

 

Ryuk noticed of course when L swiped the apple but didn’t look or mention it, wondering if maybe there was a purpose for it for later. He paused from his ravenous pace of eating and drinking, starting to feel a little giddy and high from it, and lounged back on the grass with his hands behind his head. “Naw, I wasn’t listenin’ so close on the balcony, it uh...seemed like things were ‘bout to...y’know.” He chuckled nervously, not really wanting to make L uncomfortable. To him things like sex were just actions and reactions like anything else humans did, and interesting since shinigami were forbidden it in their rules recently. Still, he knew some humans took it pretty personal to talk about it so no sense in ruffling feathers when they were getting along better.

 

L snorted when Ryuk indicated that he _had_ been listening to the conversation on the balcony, at least enough to peace out before the ‘ _squishy part_ ’. He wasn’t entirely sure how he felt about the fact that Ryuk recognized the lead-up… maybe that was just because of his familiarity with Light’s moods. Either way, it didn’t really matter, L had gotten his answer, and now he was more invested in finding out what Ryuk had wanted to tell him earlier. “So you brought up in the hotel that there was something about Rem that you thought I would like to know.” L closed his eyes, leaning his head against the wall and just enjoying the breeze for now.

 

Ryuk growled softly when he started to think about Rem again, long knives sliding unconsciously from the tips of his fingers and withdrawing again. “There was another shinigami named Gelus, kinda liked this fella, we’d used to watch humans at the portals to your world together. He got it in his head he was in love with Misa, stopped watching other folks altogether.” Ryuk turned on his side, propping his head up. “I wasn’t there the day it happened, but Rem told me she was-- Gelus wrote the name of a man who was ‘sposed to kill Misa.” The shinigami shook his head like _dumbass_. “Well, that’s against the rules, yeah? And Gelus turned to dust on the spot, Rem pickin’ up his notebook and totin’ it right down to Misa herself, hyuk!” Quieter, “So, that’s one way. When a shinigami falls in love with a human and kills to extend their life, they die.”

 

Sitting forward slightly, L turned to face the shinigami, wrapping his arms around his knees now and tugging a lollipop out of his candy bag as he listened. The story about Ryuk’s friend Gelus was actually rather sad, perhaps not quite so desolate as the story Light had told him about the realm as a whole falling into decay, but on a more personal level… he could recognize himself in Gelus, a little, maybe. After all, now that he had found Light, he was risking quite a lot just to _be_ with Light, let alone wanting to help and protect him from those who would _kill_ him or use his power for even worse things. _If giving my own life would keep him safe and let him continue what he’s doing... would I do it? I might just make that sacrifice._

 

Ryuk’s eyes glowed and a predatory grin slide across his face, “Karma’s a bitch though. Rem fell in love with Misa too, so there’s a little something to stick in your pipe, hyuk hyuk. The girl knows it too, that Rem would do anything for her, even die for her.”

 

“I’m sorry about your friend, Ryuk,” L said softly, pulling the lollipop out of his mouth and giving the shinigami an unhappy look. He sighed a little and hunched down over his knees, musing over the information that-- _Rem is in love with Misa? Interesting that she was able to make more than one shinigami fall in love with her. I wonder if we can use that, somehow_.

 

Ryuk stretched in the sunshine, relishing it after so many long eons in the gloom of his world. “Ya already know we can die if we stop writin’ names. We got a lot of rules to follow that can get us various punishments, and the worst of that is death.” He scratched his chin thinking that wasn’t completely right--- there _were_ worse punishments but death was the most permanent one. “We can’t have sex, we can’t steal from other worlds, we can’t tell our death note user names or lifespans….technically, heh.” There had been a couple of times Ryuk had helped Light by giving him vague _hints_ about those things and seemed to get away with it. “Uhh, oh, we have to go back to the realm in 72 hours if our death note ain’t on earth. Can’t kill babies or super old people. Geez...we got so many rules. Stupid King. Every time he gets bored he makes another rule.”

 

Listening as Ryuk rattled off a few other rules, L frowned at some of them. He could understand the rule about not killing babies, because that just seemed pointless to him, especially if the reason shinigami killed was to steal a human’s remaining years. Babies probably had lifespans that were in constant flux based on their own helplessness, far too reliant on others to care for their needs to be able to _make_ decisions that might get them killed. And the very old didn’t have much lifespan worth taking. But others just seemed… frivolous. Why couldn’t shinigami have sex? He had been under the impression that they just _didn’t_. _I’ll come back to that_.

 

Ryuk was quiet a while, then said thoughtfully, “Shinigami can kill each other, so there’s that.”

 

“Okay, so I just want to recap,” L said slowly, sitting up a little straighter and ticking off points on his fingers now that it seemed Ryuk was done offering up information. “Shinigami can die by not writing names. That one is pretty self-explanatory, and guaranteed Rem will still be writing her own names to keep her own lifespan going. Shinigami can’t try to write the name of any death note user they are not bound to, or they will die.” He paused and growled slightly in frustration, glancing around to make sure that they were still alone. “Rem seems, from what you told me, to be a little too shrewd to _actually_ try that, so she will instead target Light’s family, or apparently _me_ if she were to ever find out about me, instead, in order to control or manipulate Light. So I can’t exactly exploit that rule.”

 

A third finger joined the first two. “Shinigami can die by writing a name that will _extend_ another human’s lifespan.” He paused. “So it’s not, strictly speaking, falling in _love_ with a human that will kill a shinigami, but acting to _protect_ that human in a way that goes against your fundamental purpose.” He thought about that for a moment longer and frowned. “Though… I suppose there has to be a basis of fondness or respect or trust between a human and a shinigami for them to want to kill to protect their human in the first place. So it’s very _nearly_ the same thing.”

 

Ryuk shrugged, “I only ever seen shinigami die for protecting humans they loved, but then again...I haven’t seen any try to protect ones they didn’t. Funny thing about it was we didn’t even know it was a rule till it just happened one day. King didn’t tell us or write that in the book.” That had made Ryuk wonder if maybe the King didn’t even know everything about the death note, but he’d never had any reason to ask that rotting regent.  “But yeah, you covered all of them that I know of. We haven’t seen anybody die from the no-sex rule yet, shinigami ain’t really rearin’ to go as it was, being so lazy and all, hyuk. And that one’s pretty recent.”

 

Blinking, L stared at Ryuk in surprise at the revelation that even the _shinigami_ hadn’t known about the rule against extending a human’s life. The implications that this Shinigami King didn’t even know, or hadn’t told them suggested that either the King was a cruel and petty tyrant (which made sense if he made up rules whenever he was bored), or that the death note was mysterious to even the shinigami. _Or_ , L thought with a chill, _the death note’s origins aren’t even necessarily from the shinigami realm. Light mentioned others, but Ryuk has only HINTED to me the possibility there’s more than just the human world and the shinigami world_. Which was something that Ryuk might not even be able to tell him, if it were the case.

 

 _Still, the rule that killed Gelus seems the most likely one I can exploit._ Softly, L said, “That would only work, though, if Amane is truly in danger. Wouldn’t it, Ryuk? If I were to try and manufacture a scenario where her life is threatened, would that make _me_ a target? And more importantly, would that make _my_ death the catalyst for Rem’s subsequent death?” Without waiting for an answer, he plunged on, looking up at the shinigami with wide curious eyes and asking, “And if shinigami can kill others of their kind, is there some rule against interfering with the shinigami attached to death note users? If there wasn’t, I would expect you’d have found some way to take Rem out of the equation, _yourself,_ by this time, since she’s mucking about with your fun.”

 

Ryuk frowned a little when L asked him why he hadn’t killed Rem himself. “Well, if it were that easy, yeah. But I’d be riskin’ my own neck and uh….” Ryuk looked a little embarrassed, “...she’s higher rank shinigami than I am, older than me and more powerful. I might get my ass whooped, hyuk hyuk.” Probably he’d get a lot worse than an ass whooping, but it was possible he’d win. “Used to be the main way shinigami rose up in rank was killin’ others above them. Back when there were more of us. Back when everyone wasn’t so lazy.” _Depressed and suicidal more like, but that bred inaction._ He mulled it over, challenging Rem would be extremely dangerous and would Light even appreciate it? Killing other humans to protect one was punishable by death, so was killing a shinigami to protect them? He didn’t know, and it frightened him. He didn’t come out and tell L he wouldn’t do it, but Light hadn’t asked him to either. “There’s no rule in the book about not killing shinigami with a human user, anyway. But neither was the rule about not protecting humans. Maybe cause that one was just against our nature to take life versus grant it. Shinigami had always been fair game since we don’t get anything but rank from killing them.”

 

Ryuk’s uncharacteristic hesitation when he began talking about Rem and rank made L a little uneasy. ‘ _I_ _f it were that easy…’ Shit._ This was definitely something he was going to need to talk over with Light soon. “Ahh...I didn’t realize there was any sort of hierarchy to the shinigami. I suppose we’ll have to leave that option off as an _absolute_ last resort, unless we can find some loophole to exploit.”

 

Ryuk couldn’t think too deeply about L’s other scenarios, he never really could with Light’s schemes either. “Yeah, I guess you wouldn’t want to make it look like _you_ were the one putting her in danger. Maybe the immediate danger could come from somebody else? And you and Light-o just settin’ it up? Pfft, I’m no good with figurin', you gotta talk to Light-o for that, Lawli.” The demon grinned, looking at the lollipop.

  
Smiling a little at what sounded like concern for him, though _it can’t be, we’ve only just gotten on non-antagonistic terms with each other_ , L finally asked, “Before I get too sidetracked… this no sex rule. You said that was a recent addition?” He leaned forward, frowning hard. “Why the hell was _that_ rule added, and why did you make it sound like it’s punishable by _death_?”

 

Ryuk chuckled when L didn’t get prickly about his nickname this time. _I knew I’d wear him down!_ He reached into the bag for another apple, starting to peel it with a single fingernail blade. “Yeah, that no-sex rule was added ‘bout...dunno, seems like only yesterday but I guess it’s been longer in your world. Time moves so fast here.” He rotated the apple, the peel spiraling longer. “Wasn’t ever an issue cause um...usually the human wouldn’t survive if they seduced a shinigami. Heh, well, somethin’ was different bout a recent human cause not only did she survive, she got pregnant.” Ryuk shuddered slightly, he’d never even considered that such a thing was possible. “Best of my knowledge that hadn’t happened before, and none of us even knew ‘bout it till...there was some trouble. The kid grew up with our eyes and some other powers he weren’t ‘sposed to have. Not to mention he were just plain off his rocker too. King said he was an abomination and put the kabash on all of it with the new rule.”

 

 _Usually_ they wouldn’t survive? _How many shinigami have had sex with humans before?_ L frowned, shaking his head as he focused on the rest of what Ryuk was saying. As he listened, he began to get an uneasy feeling, like a cold hand slithering down his back. Something about this human Ryuk was describing sounded familiar. _So some kid grows up with the shinigami eyes… so could see people’s names. A kid who’s crazy? Could it be... no, he was strange, maybe, and he knew who I was instantly, even though there was no possible way he should have known my real name, but he didn’t seem like anything other than a weirdo like me, no powers._

 

Ryuk dangled the peel over his jaws, slurping it up. “Only reason that shinigami...uhh, the dad...didn’t get skinned alive was cause of his rank.” He howled with laughter a moment, remembering when old maid Justin Armonia was dragged before the King to explain why he couldn’t keep his gold dick in his pants. “Problem being, Bernael couldn’t be killed with a death note like some ordinary human, and the King kinda got a soft spot for ‘im anyway after he was causin’ all kinds of death and havoc. Think he’s in prison now, so I guess the King figures the situation took care of itself. I know Light-o tried writin’ his name but I doubt it worked.”   

 

Ryuk dropped a name, and though it wasn’t familiar, L’s eyes were growing rounder by the second. _Bernael?_ Ryuk just seemed amused by the whole thing, but L clutched tightly at the lollipop, nearly hyperventilating as he silently prayed that the shinigami wouldn’t say the name he was certain he was going to-

 

“Pfft. Beyond Birthday. What a dumb name.”

 

 _No fucking WAY._ The lollipop fell into the grass, and L clutched at his shins as he laid his head down against his knees, softly swearing up a storm, cycling rapidly between different languages as he ran out of epithets quickly. This was absolutely _not happening_ to him, it was such an insane coincidence. _No. It’s fate. Fate is real, isn’t it. I was meant to be here, to know all of this. But now what do I DO with it?_ Falling silent for a moment, a hysterical giggle started bubbling out of him as he tried to get his brain to process that information a little less emotionally.

Ryuk had been dangling the peeled apple over his mouth but he froze its descent as L’s body language and expressions suddenly shifted. “Lawli?” He snarfed the apple, sitting up to look at L a little better. “I guess that stuff is kinda weird to hear about, huh.” It had been shocking even for him and all the rest of the shinigami, so maybe it was overwhelming L’s more fragile human mind.

 

The shinigami reached out and picked up the fallen lollipop, phasing with a flash to get all the dirt and grass bits off of it. “Here, yah dropped this.” Sugar seemed to calm this human down or make him happy so maybe it would help. Ryuk pulled it back slightly when L started to swear and giggle, he knew that wasn’t a good kind of laugh. _Maybe I just should have kept my mouth shut about some kinds of secrets._

 

L dimly heard Ryuk talking, but it took him a long moment to focus on what he had _said_. By the time his giggles subsided, he managed to look up, a conflicted expression on his face. He tentatively reached for the lollipop, unable to help smiling a bit at seeing that it wasn’t dirty, and he swallowed hard, nodding his thanks to Ryuk. Sticking it back in his mouth, he scratched at the back of his head, trying to think back to if he had ever _read_ any of the files he had saved on his hard drive. He had a pretty good memory for faces, and he recognized _that_ , could still see B’s face clear as day for how memorable the interaction at Wammy’s had been… and then the images he’d seen of B in his cell in L.A. at the beginning of his incarceration. _He tried to kill himself just to get back at me for some reason._ But he’d never gone to visit. Never been able to do it. He’d felt too guilty, and Watari had told him nothing good could come of it, so he’d never been able to ask Beyond to his face _why_ he had done it. Shaking his head, L was forced to conclude that he probably hadn’t read any of the information on his background… because he hadn’t _wanted_ to.

 

“I _know_ Beyond. Or… Bernael, I suppose,” L finally said, voice a hushed monotone. “Except I just knew him as B. And… I only met him once, twelve years ago. But he knew my name.” A grimace flashed over his face. “Something he couldn’t possibly- _shouldn’t_ possibly have known. Now I know why.”

 

Ryuk nodded when L took the candy, leaning back on the grass to finish off the bottle of apple soda. But he quickly sputtered and choked at what L said. “HYUKKKK!” He sat up again, a shocked look on his demonic face. “You _knew_ him?” He couldn’t help but laugh with the irony of it, or more just how unlikely it was given all the billions of people on this world. “Well well well, now that’s some shit. I never have met him myself, but some of the shinigami like to peek in on him from time to time.” He looked in the bag, frowning that it was empty but still chuffed he’d gotten more apples today than any other. “Before Kira came along, I guess that was the big gossip. Justin Armonia knocked up a witch and now there’s something weird runnin’ all over earth, heh.”

 

He flicked a nail out longer, picking bits of apple peel from his jagged teeth. “Just seems like a weird coincidence is all. Guessin’ you’re the one who put him in prison, huh?”

 

“He was being trained at the orphanage I grew up in to take over for me one day, if something ever happened to me,” L said quietly. His fingers dug into his shins again as he continued, “Instead, he ran off to L.A. and started murdering people a couple years ago. All I know for certain of the why of that case is that he did it specifically to get my attention. I never asked him what his motivations were, and yes, I _was_ the one to put him in prison.” _By proxy, but still._

 

“Ooohhhh.” Ryuk nodded like he understood what L was talking about but he didn’t really know about any orphanage or even what that was. It was definitely an interesting tidbit to him that L had been the catalyst for Bernael’s murders though, that was _very_ amusing but he thought it best not to laugh about that right now.

 

“His mother was a witch, and his father was a shinigami, huh?” _How would a witch know how to survive sex with a shinigami, let alone get pregnant by one?_ “How many times have shinigami seduced or been seduced by humans, do you know? You said humans usually don’t survive it, but also said shinigami don’t usually show interest. There must have been a time when that wasn’t the case, surely there were other hybrids running around at one point or another?” _After all, there are any number of ancient civilizations that have stories about extraordinary people, and B is certainly… extraordinary. If it’s happened once, it’s probably happened before._ There was definitely something here he might be able to use, though he had the sinking feeling he might need to actually talk to B at some point. He also had the nagging feeling that he had meant to ask something else, but he couldn’t remember what it was just now.

 

Ryuk tried to scroll back in his cobwebby mind when L asked about shinigami seducing humans in the past. “Yeah, now that you mention it, that _did_ used to happen a lot more. Huh. Kinda funny that there was only a hybrid child now, I guess.” He scratched his head, wondering how that could be the case. Was Bernael’s mother really so special? It seemed a little fishy. “To be honest, I wouldn’t put it past the King or Justin Armonia to have been sweepin’ kids like that under the rug.” He shrugged, because he could only speculate. “Like I said, I’m kinda, uh, a low-ranked fella so they don’t tell me everything.”

 

 _No, there can’t be only one._ L’s fingers twitched in excitement at this new mystery that had jumped out at him, and he couldn’t help but giggle in delight. He had always chalked the scenarios and supernatural creatures in his favourite TV shows and movies up to the overactive imaginations of the creators, because that’s how people worked through their personal demons or social issues (especially these days), but considering he had a living breathing supernatural being right in front of him, he knew he needed to start looking at things with different eyes. _Anything could be possible. It’s all there if I just find out where to LOOK._

 

He flipped open his phone and sighed. It was getting dangerously close to one in the afternoon, and he had meant to be back to the hotel by no later than 2. _I guess I’ll be late._ And he still couldn’t remember what he had been going to ask Ryuk earlier, though another thought did occur, another chill running through him. “Ryuk… the death note…” He looked up with a frown. “It looks like a notebook right now. But... shinigami have been writing human names down since… the dawn of humanity, if what Light told me is to be believed. So what did the death note look like at first?” _Last question. This is more than enough information to be going on with, even if I’m no closer to coming up with a plan to get rid of Rem and Misa._

 

Ryuk chuckled softly at L’s question, it was a doozy. “Yeah I told Light-o that, but we didn’t really like writin’ humans names in the beginning because they didn’t live very long at first.” He waved a dismissive claw, “Always bein’ a snack for a sabertooth tiger or stomped by a mammoth, so we’d have to work extra hard in your world compared to the other mortal realms.” He grinned at the look on Lawli’s face, “Yeah, there’s more.” Going on, “But our death notes take on whatever form will be recognized in that world as a thing to be scribblin’ and scrawlin’ in.”

 

Ryuk pulled out his own death note from a little leather holster at his side, holding it up between them where it hovered in place. Its appearance was vastly different from Light’s, and looked more like an impressively thick tome bound in an array of iridescent skins and hides with bits of metal stitching holding the ramshackle thing together. On the cover was shimmering, glowing script in shinigami language that (to his eyes) read ‘Death Note.’ He tapped it with his claw, and it instantly became an exact replica of the one in Light’s desk now, a thin notebook that a student might use at school, with an English label. “What Light-o’s looks like.” He tapped it again and it folded up into itself, becoming a much smaller book with rough paper pages and a goat-hide exterior showing archaic Mongolian script. “What _Genghis_ had.” Another tap and it flowed out into a long papyrus scroll covered in colorful hieroglyphs. “Mark Antony and Cleo shared this one, she uh...stole it from Alexander’s tomb.” He kept tapping, showing different variations of clay tablets with Sumerian hashes, plain-looking sheets of loose paper that somehow stayed in a neat pile, animal vellum leaves, and finally a slab of rock that would need to be carved into or painted on.

 

One more tap and it was back to Ryuk’s large funky tome, and he held open his holster for it to swoop back inside. “Guess that covers it.”

 

Throughout Ryuk’s entire demonstration, L had been crouched in front of him, eyes wide and lips parted in awe, hand hovering just out of reach of the artifact (because he couldn’t exactly call it a _book_ anymore, could he?) even though he _desperately_ wanted to touch each specimen. To be able to feel a piece of history between his fingers would have been an immeasurable _rush_ , but he didn’t want to touch without permission, and he didn’t want to interrupt.

 

“This is…” he breathed, slowly lifting his eyes to Ryuk’s once the shinigami holstered it again. “This is _incredible_.” He blinked, trying to think of something else to say, but that had answered both the question he had _asked_ , and the questions he had forgotten about, and his head was reeling with this influx of information. A small smile danced on his lips, and he found himself giggling. “I assume you showed Light the very same demonstration. How long did it take him to recover and adapt to all of the information?” _Genghis Khan. Cleopatra and Mark Antony. Alexander the Great. And a few others from different ancient civilizations, though I can’t think of any one person who rose above the masses to do great things in those other civilizations. Still... it’s just as I suspected, and exactly the kind of thing Light was telling me. There’s potential for great change here if someone with great vision and fortitude owns the note._ And he was potentially a part of it now, even if he never wrote in the note, himself. Letting out a slow breath, L gathered up all of his things, taking the garbage they had accrued and putting it all in the empty bag. He had a _lot_ of research to do.

 

Ryuk was pretty pleased with himself, he liked showing off a little. “Heh, Light-o reacted about the same way you did, all bug eyes and wiggly. Gettin’ ideas right off the bat too, wantin’ to know this, that, and t’other bout what them folks did, how long they lived, who was their shinigami.” He floated along beside L as the human gathered up their things and headed across the park. “I told him most humans didn’t do jack shit with the note, or just got themselves in a mess of trouble. Boo-hooin’ and throwin’ it down some well, one got burnt at the stake. But a couple times...the death note hit on somebody _real_ good. Heh.” Ryuk guessed that L probably knew he thought Light was one of the latter kinds of death note users, and why that was kind of extraordinary from his long point of view.

 

L nodded, smiling as Ryuk confirmed what he’d already suspected. _Only the two times he knows of, then, those few historical figures. That changes EVERYTHING about the way I will look at them from now on, and I always DID have quite the fascination for Cleopatra._ His sidelong glance at the shinigami was knowing. _I see it too, Ryuk._

 

Sticking his hands in his pockets, he frowned and pulled out the last apple, staring for a moment before remembering what he had hidden it for. “Oh… if you want to stick around for a little bit longer, I was hoping you would be okay with making a delivery to Light for me once I… pick it up,” L said, glancing at the shinigami sheepishly. “I know it’s a little risky to be flying around carrying something, but I don’t want his family to eat the expenditure for a new phone.” Holding the apple out to Ryuk, he asked, “Will you do it? Please?”

 

“Yeah, I can take him something. Long as it ain’t nothing too perverted, hyuk hyuuuuk.” Ryuk cackled quietly, just joking around. “Guess a phone’s fine.” He took the proffered apple and stuffed it into his wings while L was watching. “See?” He became incorporeal and the apple did too. Coming back to visibility, “Long as I can fit it in my wings, it becomes like a part of me if I disappear.” He couldn’t hide large objects although he could certainly carry them, but that would just look like something streaking across the sky. “You’re going to have to give it to me though for me to _really_ take it. Give me ownership. And then I can give it to him.” _Long as you gave me an apple._

  
Of _course_ the shared moment was broken a moment later by Ryuk’s joke. L barked out a laugh, murmuring teasingly, “What, do you think I would send you to him with something kinky? Fuck _that_ , I’d be bringing anything like that to him _myself_.” He watched Ryuk’s little trick and nodded, impressed. “Handy. And I can do that. Thank you, Ryuk. For everything.” He smiled at the shinigami, a little giddy as they headed for one of the shopping centers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some of the songs you can whistle to Ryuk (but we make no promises to the quality of the full songs):  
> ‘Let the Bodies Hit the Floor’ by Drowning Pool (https://youtu.be/3zHNfzXSqLQ)  
> ‘Summer Nights’ in Grease (https://youtu.be/ZW0DfsCzfq4)  
> ‘The Waiting’ by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (https://youtu.be/QTk7AZV2OB8)  
> ‘Anyway You Want It’ by Journey (https://youtu.be/SMRYLVTUswU)  
> ‘Reflections on the Screen’ by Superorganism (https://youtu.be/DPtP_f3rkaI)


	25. Wish You Were Here

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Light and L had to spend one day apart, but find a way to connect over sexting (which gets L caught).

“- highly unprofessional-” Chief Yagami’s voice cut off as L opened the door to his suite at the Imperial, and the Chief and Watari both turned from their discussion to look at him.

 

Face flushing slightly, L held up a hand and said in a falsely cheerful voice, “Please! Don’t let _me_ stop you.” Rolling his eyes, he moved through the room and made a beeline right for the bedroom. He seldom used it, but he had a feeling that Watari was going to want to speak to him in private, and that was about as private as they could get.

 

“You see that?” Yagami said indignantly, and L grit his teeth, forcing himself not to say anything. _Let him get it out now and deal with it later._ As L closed the door, he could still hear the muffled tirade on the other side, and he sighed, going to slump in the chair beside the bed as he waited. A small smile spread across his face as he thought about the previous evening, and everything that he had learned in the past few hours from Ryuk. It was all so much _bigger_ than the Kira case, and though he could _entirely_ understand Yagami’s frustration with him… he couldn’t completely bring himself to care right now. Finally, the voices in the other room died away, and Watari came into the room and sat on the bed, not saying anything as he stared at L.

 

L stared back, waiting to see who would speak first, and just as he was about to break the silence, Watari spoke in a gentle, pointed tone, “Your team is very upset with you right now. What is going on? I’ve never seen you like this before.”

 

“Like what?” L asked stubbornly, pulling himself up to sit a little straighter, only to wince nearly imperceptibly and lean forward into a crouch with his arms around his knees.

 

“Like getting distracted from a case, for starters,” Watari responded. He reached forward to touch the scarf around L’s neck. “Your new fashion statement.” He looked L directly in the eye and was silent for a long moment as L swallowed hard. “Charges to hotels? Room service? Returning Saturday morning looking like someone tried to murder you. Getting Aiber to drive you out last night only to have him returning alone with the back of the limousine smelling like sex? I may be old, L, but I am not _dead_.”

 

L stared at him with wide eyes, unsure of how to respond to all of that, and Watari chuckled.

 

“Not to mention the surveillance situation. I have not informed the rest of the team yet. I wanted _you_ to be the one to do so, though I did inform Wedy to remove the equipment at the earliest possible convenience. The Kitamura household will be clean within the hour, and the other team just started on the Yagami residence. That should be finished by 3:30, if all goes well.” He folded his hands over one knee and eyed L again over his glasses. “Now. Why remove the surveillance a day early? You told me one week. What happened yesterday that changed your mind so abruptly?”

 

For a moment, L didn’t know what to do, and he took a deep breath, closing his eyes briefly and called up an image of Light’s beautiful smile to bolster him. ‘ _You can tell him… just please let me know how it goes_.’ “The video surveillance was ineffective,” _Not completely true, it was QUITE effective, for a given definition..._ “- and didn’t give any useful clues,” _Accurate._ “- and at this point, it was just unnecessary to the investigation. Therefore, I decided I wanted it removed.”Glancing up, he was surprised when Watari looked completely unmoved by that revelation. L stood up for a moment, removing his coat and the scarf and draping them both over the back of the chair before sitting back down in his normal slouch. “I… unexpectedly received a confession last night. I know who Kira is,” he said in a very soft voice, a tiny smile playing across his lips.

 

“Is Kira one of the suspects from the footage?” Watari asked, giving him a shrewd look.

 

“Watari.”

 

“ _Ryuzaki._ ”

 

L huffed out a soft laugh at that, and Watari smiled as well. “Watari… you have been with me every step of the way while I’ve been doing this.” Watari just nodded slightly. “And you’ve never once defied any of the decisions I’ve made or orders I’ve given, even if you haven’t been shy about letting me know when you disapprove.” _Or trying to ‘guide’ me along a different path first._ Though to be fair, Watari’s suggestions and guidance over the years had never _once_ backfired before, not like the FBI situation had backfired.

 

“That is correct.”

 

Hesitating, L finally said softly, “Light Yagami is Kira.” Watari didn’t react except for a slight twitch, nodding his head slightly as if to say ‘Go on’. _That’s... odd._ “I, ah… met him Friday night. Before realizing he was a suspect.” His face flushed, and he looked down when he heard a soft, knowing laugh from Watari. “I’m sorry I was sneaking around behind your back. It won’t happen again. But… Watari, I agree with what he’s doing.”

 

“Really?” Of all the things to catch Watari by surprise, of course it was _that_. “Are you planning on _helping_ him? Or just sleeping with him?”

 

“Yes.” L stared at him, trying not to smile.

 

“I see.” Watari frowned at him for a long moment, and then sighed. “Then you’re going to have to learn to be a little more subtle in your lies. What do you plan on doing going forward?”  


A relieved grin broke out on L’s face, and he hopped out of his chair to give Watari a brief hug before pulling away, thumb going to his mouth. “I’m bringing him on. No real plan yet to deal with Interpol, but I was going tomorrow to take the To-Oh entrance exams. That way I have an official reason to meet him and invite him to the team.”

 

Sighing, Watari stood and said, “You’d better go give the team the good news, then. Perhaps you’ll tell me later on when everyone goes home for the evening where you’ve been all day?”

 

“Promise,” L said, plucking the scarf up and tugging it back around his neck, the oddness of their brief conversation quickly forgotten as he mentally went over what he was going to tell everyone. “And this is because I figured everyone would appreciate not seeing the, ah… bruises.” That only brought a snort of laughter from the old inventor, and L smiled to himself happily.

 

**\---Light’s high school, end of classes---**

 

 _Finally!_ The last bell of the day had rung and Light was making a beeline for the door, Shinji falling in beside him to walk to the train. He gave his friend a smile, “So, ready for the entrance exam tomorrow?”

 

Shinji groaned, hoisting his backpack higher on his shoulder. “Fuck _no_ I’m not. I was supposed to be studying for it last night but uh….”

 

Light giggled, holding up a hand. “Say no more, please.”

 

Shinji pushed the door to the school open, and they stepped into the sunlight. “Yeah, well, we can’t all be like _you_ Mr. Top Scoring Douche of the World.” He grinned and nudged Light in the side to let him know he was kidding. “But I hope you enjoy college without me, I know I’m not getting in. And my folks couldn’t really afford a tutor or make any kind of donation to secure my place.” He deflated sadly at that, because in Japan, getting into a good college set the tempo and template for your entire life. “Maybe some miracle will happen and I’ll suddenly get smart before tomorrow.”

 

Light felt bad for the kid, he really did try hard and he’d had a hell of a rough time what with how he’d grown up. Quieter, “You know I’d let you look at my test if they weren’t going to be watching us like a hawk.” He’d done it plenty of times before when Shinji was in trouble, or when his tutoring just wasn’t sinking in.

 

Shinji gave him a weak smile, “Yeah, I know you would Light. But I’ll manage on my own. Thanks though.”

 

Light exhaled softly as his eyes fell upon Ryuk, perched on the sign above the train station. “Well, this is where I leave you, Shinji. You’ve got tonight to study so do your best, ok? You might surprise yourself.” He waved as Shinji kept on walking to where his classmate’s mom was waiting, eyes flicking up to Ryuk as the shinigami descended to float beside him.

 

Ryuk was phasing through all the people in the crowd, they just passed on through him as if nothing was there. “Hey buddy! Miss me?”

 

Light smiled up at him briefly as he bought his ticket, softly whistling ‘Wish You Were Here’ by Pink Floyd.

 

Ryuk grinned happily, bits of apple still wedged in his teeth. “That Lawli ain’t half bad! Gave me a bunch of apples and askin’ me ‘bout interestin’ stuff.”

 

Light was incredibly relieved to hear that, and he fed his ticket into the turnstile with a little whistle of the Turtles ‘Happy Together.’ There was already a train waiting at the bay and he sprinted to make it inside before the doors closed.

 

Ryuk just phased through the closed doors and took up (but didn’t take up) half the car. “Uh huh. I think we’ll get along ok.” He held up a finger, remembering, “Hyuk! ‘Sposed to give you something!!” Ryuk dug in his wings and furtively let the new phone L had given him fall to the ground with a soft thump. That was an important condition of transferring objects between shinigami and humans. It had to touch the ‘ground,’ or in this case the floor of the train. “Psst. Pick that up Light-o!”

 

Light’s eyes went wide and he hurried to scoop it up, whistling Dido’s ‘Thank you’ softly for a few beats. He quickly turned it on and saw it was pre-programed with L’s number, taking a moment to put in all the other numbers he knew by heart that had been in his old phone. This was a phenomenal upgrade on his last shitty phone though, and he was grinning ear to ear that L would do something so nice for him and save him from the wrath of his parents too.

 

By the time he was done updating his phone, the train was at the stop for his house and he stepped onto the platform, still fiddling with it. He was dying to interrogate Ryuk about how their chat had gone, but there were still too many people around. He texted L, **“Wow, thank you so much for the new phone! I really owe you <3” ** He stopped as he walked in front of a little shopping center center, a devious smile on his lips as he recalled a particular store in there, the one where he got all his _good_ porn from. _Hmmm. Maybe I can pay him back after all._

 

**\---Task Force HQ, Midtown-**

 

“Chief, there are almost _four hundred_ results to go through!” Matsuda whined, and L brought his teacup up to his lips to hide the pleased smile on his face. “Pretty much everyone agrees now that, in light of the awful things Truize confessed to on his deathbed, that this guy was murdered by Kira, but nobody can figure out how Kira would even _know_ about him. His criminal activity, I mean.”

 

“Well, I did a little digging,” Aizawa spoke up, reaching over Matsuda to throw a printed out sheaf of paper on top of the growing pile. “And it turns out there was some website that had supposedly ‘doctored evidence’ of some of the different crimes he confessed to early this morning, and multiple women are coming out of the woodwork to claim that he assaulted them, as well. But no convictions. I think it’s pretty safe to say this was Kira, but this isn’t his usual MO.”

 

 _No, because it’s mine,_ L thought, a thrill going through him at seeing his work on that website _finally_ being taken seriously. He could feel the weight of Watari’s gaze on his back, trying hard to maintain a cool facade as he glanced at the clock. He hoped Light would be home by now, the surveillance was gone, and he had been hoping to get a chance to text him. His phone buzzed in his pocket, and he tugged it out, flipping it open as he took a sip.

 

Light’s text made him blush, and it took all his willpower not to smile stupidly down at his phone, setting his tea aside and typing out a quick response. “ **You’re very welcome, and don’t you dare! You don’t owe me a thing. =) All I want is a kiss at some point tomorrow, anything else is just a nice bonus.”**

 

**\---The Yagami household---**

 

Light breathed a sigh of relief when he was finally upstairs again in his room, and collapsed on the bed, both exhilarated and exhausted from lack of sleep. He rolled onto his stomach, checking his phone and smiling down at L’s reply to his message. _You’ll get a kiss, don’t worry._ The package he’d bought with L’s extra ‘train fare’ was stashed in his closet inside an old box, but it seemed a moot point since Ryuk confirmed that every one of the cameras in his house had been removed. He assumed that that meant things had gone well with L’s team, and it had been eating him all day as to whether L really had told Watari about him.

 

He punched in a quick text back that was suitably vague, **_“_ ** **How did the discussion go?”**

 

No sooner had he hit ‘send’ than a message from Misa popped up on his phone, and he grimaced but knew he had to keep her at least marginally happy until they thought up some plan.

 

**“I’m still mad at you, you know! 😭😒😡😤”**

 

Ryuk settled next to him on the bed, quietly snickering as he peeked over Light’s shoulder. “Heh, uh oh. Better lay on the charm stat!”

 

Light grumbled, but Ryuk was right. **“Don’t worry baby, there’s no other woman that could ever compare to you! That was just where I got socked with a tennis ball! Don’t be mad pls xoxo?”** He giggled to himself, thinking that a bite mark looked absolutely nothing like that.

 

**“OMG!!!!! Light I am SO SORRY! 😭 I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions! 💕 Do you forgive your Misa-Wisa for having a wibble temper tantrum?😘❤️”**

 

Light snorted, shaking his head but also thanking his lucky stars that at least she bought it. **“Of course. But file your nails down ok?”**

 

 _“_ **Wahhhhhh! I was so MEAN wasn’t I? Should I send you some nice nudes to make it up to you????”**

 

Light gasped over Ryuk’s wild cackling, typing back in a hurry **“NO!! Um...because the exam is tomorrow and I can’t be distracted. Got to study babe, and I wouldn’t be able to focus.”** “Ugh, please god no, don’t.”

 

 _“_ **Awwww. But I understand, my little genius man needs all his brain power! Good luck! SMOOCHIES!!!!!!! 💕💕💕💕💕💕😘😘😘😘** **_”_ **

 

Light relaxed, letting his head fall to the bed for a moment. “Ryuk...I don’t know how much more of her I can take.”

 

Ryuk slapped his knee, very amused at Light’s attempts to wrangle this 90-lb blonde demon. “Hyuk hyuk, well Lawli might have some ideas now. He knows everything about Rem and Misa and how to uhhh…” Ryuk brought a clawed finger across his neck, and made an unpleasant ‘kkkkkccchhkkk’ sound.

 

Light looked up with an amused grin on his face, “Ok, what’s with this ‘Lawli’ business?” He laughed quietly to himself, not sure if it was a good sign or what. “ _Lawli_?? Really??!”

 

Ryuk looked a little sheepish, “Nuttin. Just thought I’d call ‘im that. Pfft. Humans sure are touchy ‘bout nicknames! You go around callin’ yerself ‘Lord Kira’ and I can’t call him Lawli?”

 

Light sat up on the bed, laughing louder, “Ryuk, that was ONE TIME!”

 

“Hmph.” Ryuk crossed his arms and pouted. “Whatever ya say _Lord Kira_.”

 

Light rolled his eyes and swiped at the shinigami playfully, but Ryuk just became incorporeal and his hand passed through. “You’re hopeless.” He got up from the bed, pulling off Shinji’s borrowed school uniform and changing into some more comfortable house clothes. Rounding on Ryuk, “And don’t you tell L about that!”

 

“Hyuk.” Ryuk’s eyes glowed mischievously. “Or what?”

 

Light sputtered, having a hard time pulling his t-shirt on he was giggling so hard. “Or else all you get is green apples.”

 

Ryuk stuck his tongue out at him, “Well, _Lawli_ gave me a bunch of red ones today so nah nah nahhhh.”

 

Light sighed, hip cocking to the side slightly as he crossed his arms. “Fine. I won’t laugh at Lawli and YOU never speak of Lord Kira ever again. Deal?” He walked forward with a smile on his lips, holding out a hand.

 

Ryuk completely covered Light’s fragile human hand with his huge ugly one, letting Light hold onto a single finger in an approximation of a handshake. “Deal.”

 

**\---Task Force HQ, Midtown---**

 

L glanced around at the others, noting that no-one was paying attention to him currently, so he quietly slipped out of the room and into the bathroom, closing the door and sitting on the floor with his back to it before beginning to type.

 

 **“Well. If you mean the discussion with our mutual friend, it was… quite eye opening. I found out a lot more than I bargained for, including some shocking information about someone from my past... and depending on what I can dig up in the next little while, that may actually end up being quite useful to your tricky situation. I have a lot on my plate now, and I’m not entirely sure where to even start with it all. Speaking of our friend… I appear to have a nickname now.** **😆** **Is that a good sign? Please tell me that’s a good sign.”**

 

Giggling at the remembrance of Ryuk’s teasing, he muttered under his breath, “ _Lawli._ Please don’t tell Light about the lollipop thing, he’ll immediately make it sexual.” Well, maybe he wouldn’t but Light would definitely tease him about it a little bit.

 

**“Oh, and if you meant the OTHER discussion, it went well. At least… the part regarding you specifically. I seem to have incurred the wrath of my team for fucking off, though… which I can’t really blame them for. How was school? Any interesting developments?”**

 

With any luck, the team wouldn’t notice him missing for another few minutes. It gave him some time to scroll through headlines until he found one that looked interesting, reading the article through quickly. But it turned out there wasn’t actually anything new or interesting in the commentary there, ugh. A knock on the door startled him, and he called, “Yes?”

 

“Ryuzaki-san,” Matsuda’s voice came timidly, and L cursed under his breath.

 

“What?”

 

“Uhhh… Well, are you done? Chief wanted to talk to you for a minute.”

 

With a sigh, L glanced at his phone again, clicking into his messages before flipping it closed and standing up. “I was taking a breather. Lead on, Matsuda-san.” The happy smile on Matsuda’s face made him snort slightly, and they headed back into the room where the others were all poring over information from the last 24 hours. “Most of the news from the last 24 hours will be centered on Truize, so unless you would all like to enjoy countless tasteless genital jokes, I suggest going further back than midnight for criminal deaths.”

 

**\---dinner time at the Yagami household---**

 

Light’s father didn’t come home for dinner, and he was a little sorry about that. He’d wanted to see the man, hoping his Dad would wish him luck before the big exam tomorrow. He looked down at his okonomiyaki, picking at it as his mother and Sayu chatted about the death of Chad Truize. Light was excited to see L again tomorrow and get the exam out of the way, but he’d barely seen his father all week and he knew it was because of the surveillance. But wasn’t that over now?

 

Sayu said brightly, “I heard he assaulted DOZENS of women!! I’m so glad that scumbag’s dead.”

 

Sachiko looked up, “Sayu! This isn’t really appropriate dinner table talk.” She looked down with a little smile she was trying to hide. “But yes, me too.”

 

Light grinned behind his cup of water, and it felt good to hear people say that, especially his family. “I assume you’ll be taking down all your posters of him then, Sayu?” He was just ribbing her like he always did.

 

Sayu stabbed a piece of his meal, and ate it with a smirk. “Already did, smartass! Tore them up too and dumped them in the garbage.”

 

That made Light remember something he’d nearly forgotten. _The scrap. I need to burn it tonight._ “Mom, is Dad going to be home tonight? I really wanted to see him before my test. You know it’ll be all day tomorrow.” _More like an hour or two, but I’ll still be gone the whole day._

 

Sachiko gave him a sympathetic look, “I don’t know, Light. Things seem to have gotten very busy with his work lately, but I’m sure he’d wish you the best of luck.” When she saw him frown a little at that, she reached to take Light’s hand. “He misses you too, Light. He’s doing this to keep us all safer, because he loves us.”

 

Light nodded glumly but squeezed his Mom’s hand back, eating a little more. She’d made it just for him, to cheer him on, his favorite. _Dad’s working to take down Kira while Kira wants the same thing he does. To keep us all safer, because I love you too Mom._ “I know. Maybe I’ll just call him then.” But he couldn’t, he remembered. His father turned his regular phone off while he was at work and only his mother knew his work cell number. It was only supposed to be used in emergencies. “Can I have his work number?”

 

Sachiko sighed, “No, I’m not allowed to.” She hadn’t liked that one bit, but rules were rules. “Although…” She released Light’s hand and threw her napkin down like _screw the rules._ “...this is important. I’m calling.” She walked over to the house phone on the wall and picked up the receiver, dialing the number.

 

**\---Task Force HQ, Midtown---**

 

“Oh my _goodness_ ,” Matsuda gasped, giggling as he turned his laptop around for the team to see the video clip he’d just clicked on. “People are starting to make Truize into a _meme_!”

 

"Really?” L replied dryly, trying to appear like he wasn’t amused by Matsuda’s slacking. “It only took them twelve hours longer than I expected, honestly.”

 

"Would you two focus? We’re not here to talk about the meme potential of a dead celebrity!” Aizawa said, glaring at Matsuda, who had the good grace to look embarrassed. L just shrugged, smirking as he entertained an image of someone splicing footage of Truize’s fall from the balcony into the bridge scene in the Holy Grail.

 

Everyone jumped as a cell phone rang, and all eyes turned to Soichiro for a moment. Tugging his phone from his jacket pocket, he answered with a brisk, “Kira task force head office, how may I help you?” His expression immediately changed, and he said, “Sachiko! Is everything alright? What’s happened, is it-”

 

L stared and glanced down at his phone, itching to text Light, but not wanting to act terribly suspicious in front of the others.

 

“Oh… I see. Put him on, please. Thank you, dear.” Sighing, Soichiro turned to look at him, giving him a meaningful look. Putting his hand over the phone, the chief said quietly, “Ryuzaki, I’m going to leave early tonight. You can do without me for one evening.”

 

 _He misses his father. Makes sense. I should have thought of that._ “Of course, Yagami-san. I should have thought of it earlier and sent you home to be with your family,” L replied, shutting up as soon as the man waved him quiet, his entire person lighting up when his son came on the phone. _Light really has such a positive effect on everyone, doesn’t he?_

 

Everyone else had gone back to their work, even Matsuda, and L turned back to the print off he was reading of criminal deaths from the last 24 hours. Of course, he was already familiar with the ones from that morning, and he didn’t have any information on whatever criminals may have died since Light had gotten _home_ , but he also didn’t... _care_. He just wanted everyone to go away so he could do something a little more rewarding. _Maybe I’ll just send everyone home now and go to bed._

 

**\---back at the Yagami household---**

 

Sachiko beamed as she turned to Light, holding the phone receiver towards him, “Here he is, Light!”

 

Light scrambled up from the table right away, going to grasp the phone, “Dad! I’m sorry Mom called you at work, I--”

 

“Nonsense, Light, I’m happy you called me. I was…” Tiredness crept into Soichiro’s voice and he turned away from the team, lowering his voice, “...having a bit of a frustrating day. But hearing your voice cheers me up a lot.” Exuding pride, “Are you ready for your test tomorrow? You’ve been working so hard.”

 

Light smiled, hearing the confidence in his Dad’s voice, “Yes, I’m ready. I’m gonna get a great score and make you and Mom proud. Promise.”

 

Soichiro’s eyes got a little misty behind his glasses, “You already do, son. But I’ll be home in a little bit to wish you luck myself. Then I want you to get a good night’s sleep, alright? You’ve studied enough, I want you to take care of yourself too.”

 

“You’re coming home?!” Light bounced a little, turning to look at his Mom and Sayu who were of course listening too. “Alright! We’ll save some dinner for you then!” Sachiko was already bustling towards the kitchen, humming happily as she prepped another plate for her husband. “Ok, see you soon Dad!” His Dad said goodbye and Light turned around to grin, and it was if the sun was shining in the room now. Sayu was clapping her hands and chattering about making some fresh cookies for her Dad while Sachiko was calling for Light’s help in the kitchen. He said a little silent thanks to L for letting his Dad off the hook tonight. Even though the test didn’t mean that much to him in the slightest, having his father be proud of him meant everything.

 

**\---Task Force HQ, Midtown---**

 

Watching the clock and pretending busy work had never been a strength of L’s, and he finally snapped his laptop closed and stood up, not having to fake it too much when he yawned. “Okay, anyone who is planning on going home tonight, please do,” he announced, shuffling off towards the bedroom. “Anyone who is staying, might I suggest you move into the other suite. I’m going to get a few hours sleep and get back to this later, and I don’t want to hear your cackling over memes, Matsuda-san.”

 

“Hey!” came the squawk before the other men shushed the rookie. L just cast a glance back and rolled his eyes as he shut the door. And locked it. He’d check later to make sure the others left, but for now, he just wanted to get his hard drive up and running, and make sure he had his good noise canceling headphones that didn’t… well, _leak_ . Ten minutes later, everything was set up, and the others were thankfully gone, and L just smiled to himself as he settled down comfortably on the bed. He clicked play on one of the videos, bringing it up to full screen before sending a quick text off to Light: **“Thinking of you. 😛 Text me when you’re free?”**

 

With a sigh, L tugged off his shirt and settled back against the pillows, pulling the headphones on.

 

**\---at the Yagami household---**

 

Light ascended the stairs, feeling extremely warm and content after getting to spend some time with his family, all of them together. They’d said their goodnights a little early, given that the test started in Midtown at 8 am so Light would need to be ready quite early. He headed into his room, feeling his phone buzz in his pocket. _Thinking of me…_

 

He smiled as he set the phone down a moment, changing into some pajama pants. “Probably best you vacated the premises for a little bit, Ryuk.”

 

Ryuk gave him a knowing smile in return, phasing down through the floor and out of sight.

 

Light went into his closet and got out his ‘package’ that he’d picked up for L earlier in the day, setting it on the bed as he texted L back, **‘“I’m free. And which part of me were you thinking about in particular?”**

 

While he waited for L to respond, he fished out the little scrap of death note that he’d hidden in his pants pocket from yesterday. The borrowed uniform and backpack would have to go back to Shinji tomorrow; it was a good thing his sister’s yammering about Truize had reminded him to dispose of the scrap. He took a lighter from his desk and flicked it open, holding the flame beneath the scrap until it was ash.

 

**\---L’s bedroom---**

 

At the buzz of his phone, L immediately reached for it, taking his eyes off the screen long enough to look down at Light’s text. _Which part, hmm? Doubt he’d believe me if I said all of him. But…_

 

**“All of you. 😛 But in particular right NOW? Hands. Definitely.”**

 

L giggled, murmuring out loud as he paused the video, right at the part where Light had kicked off the sheets to reveal his nudity. Not that he had done that on purpose, but he was quite happy with his timing.

 

**“Mmm, and also a little focused on 🍆 right now, lol. Watching a nice video.”**

 

**\---Light’s bedroom---**

 

Light gaped at the phone, laughing softly to himself. _Is he really using eggplant emojis for my dick?_ Or maybe it was somebody else’s dick?! He typed back, **“What kind of ‘nice video’ are you watching, hmmm? I’m glad to see that L is as industrious as ever.”**

 

Light took a pen from his desk and used it to open his secret drawer containing the death note, lifting it carefully from the trap. He flicked on the television, keeping the volume low so he wouldn’t disturb anyone else in the house but would be able to see the replay of the news. Going over to the bed with it and his phone, he laid down on top of the covers and opened it up. _“_ **I was thinking of getting a little writing in tonight. But maybe you can distract me from it.”** He was highly curious if L was watching _his_ video, and also a little jealous since he still hadn’t seen it.

 

**\---**

 

L couldn’t help but laugh at Light’s teasing, face flushing slightly at using the emojis, but enjoying being silly all the same. **“Well, EARLIER I was watching the meme clips Matsuda was showing us of Truize and his fall from grace (and wow, apparently people were slacking - I expected memes right away!), but NOW I’m watching an extremely pretty young man kicking off his sheets so he can jerk off. I really think I’m getting the better deal now.”**

 

He unpaused the video, and texted, **“I was thinking of doing a little research, but I made the mistake of turning the video on first. Oops. Are you asking me to distract you??”**

 

**\---**

 

Light grinned, his suspicions confirmed. **“Yes, I’m in a highly distractible mood. Seems like I prefer writing when my boyfriend’s around, given the unexpected perks.”** All the same, Light noticed a new wanted murderer mentioned on the news and jotted the name down after memorizing the face. **“I suppose I can multitask. Don’t bother about that guy who offed the elderly couple tonight btw.** **😈”**

 

Really his mind wasn’t much on justice, but much more interested in what L was doing on the other end of the line. **“I wonder if this pretty young man is inspiring any particular actions?”**

 

**\---**

 

“Oh god,” L whispered, hissing in a breath and biting his lip, smiling in remembrance of those ‘unexpected perks’. He squirmed a little on the bed, reaching to unzip his jeans and trailing fingers lightly over the tenting fabric of his boxers. **“Mmm, sounds like there are some pretty good perks. What’s your favourite? 👅”**

 

He paused the video again, pulling up the web browser on the laptop so he could find the transcript of the evening news. _Oh shit, that guy. I wondered if Light would go for him._ The implications made him laugh, perhaps a little evilly. Anyone who would kill young children, animals, or the elderly deserved to be put down, in his opinion, so knowing Light had most likely just written his name was a little more thrilling than it had any right to be. **“Maybe. He’s got a standing invitation to sit in my lap anytime. Unless he’d rather I sit in his.”**

 

**\---**

 

Light’s eyes were slightly hooded from the rush of writing the name, and it was _good_ but just not the same as it was with L. Still, he was having a hard time focusing on the news and pushed the death note to the side of the bed slightly. **“My favorite? So hard to pick and cruel to make me choose. But next time, maybe I’ll write with my** **🍆** **in your** **👅** **, how about that?”**

 

He reached for the bag where L’s present was, pulling out the black leather ball gag and admiring it now. **“I got you a present. Wanna see it? I hope you love it as much as I do.”**

 

**\---**

 

Sucking in another harsh breath, L squeezed his eyes shut briefly, licking his lips and imagining what it might be like to suck Light’s cock while he wrote names. **“I wonder how fast that would make us come. 😮 Fuck, that thought is HOT.”**

 

He palmed himself, trying not to get too worked up right away and found himself grinning. **“Sounds like a good present. Will I get it tomorrow, or some other time? (Yes pleeeease, I want to see it!)”** Giggling, he whispered, “Light, what did you do?”

 

**\---**

 

Light smirked, scooting back on the bed as he fingered the soft leather of the gag. **“Hopefully not TOO fast. I do like to savor you a little more than just blowing right away** **😉”**

 

He held the ‘present’ up and snapped a picture of it in his hand from a couple angles. Texting back, **“I think you can have it tomorrow. Long as you take me someplace nice after we ace the exam. I feel like I need a reward for all the studying I’ve been doing haha.”** He sent along the two pictures of the gag after that, dropping it on his chest as he stroked himself over the thin fabric of his pajama pants. _Wonder what L will think about that._

 

**\---**

 

Laughing, L stuffed his thumb into his mouth, letting out a soft moan and squirming at the way Light’s flirting was affecting him. _I didn’t realize I would be THIS much of a sucker for dirty texting_ , he thought. **“I prefer you in my mouth for a good… LONG… time… So no complaints here.”**

 

Seeing those two pictures pop up on his screen made him suddenly glad his hand was already close to his mouth, because the rushing flash of arousal that went through him at seeing the gag made him moan loudly, the sound only cut off when he stuffed his entire fist against his mouth, biting his knuckles and toes curling into the mattress. **“Ohjesusfuckyes 😍 Wherever you want to go, so long as that is in my mouth at the earliest possible convenience. You’d like that, wouldn’t you? Would seeing me in that and nothing else be a good reward?”**

 

**\---**

 

Light hissed, biting his lip and grabbing himself at L’s obvious excitement seeing the gag. It was just the reaction he’d hoped for. **“I’m glad you approve. And yes, I’d like that VERY much. Maybe after I use your mouth I’ll stuff that in there, until I’m ready to use the rest of you?”**

 

His hand was dipping below his pants waistband now, and he was wondering now how they’d get through the exam knowing this thing was in Light’s backpack the whole time. **“I guess I’ll have to bring it to the exam. Try not to think about it** **😏.”**

 

**\---**

 

 **“You always know just how to get me hot and bothered, don’t you? 😍”** L didn’t have enough _hands._ Not to keep himself quiet, _and_ jerk off, _and_ keep his phone handy. He slid his hand down inside his boxers, head falling back against the headboard with a poorly stifled whimper, and smoothing his fingers along the shaft, squeezing himself until a bead of precum appeared before thumbing along the slit. Repeating that same action brought a stifled moan from him, and he took in a shaky breath, toes curling and uncurling in pleasure.

 

**“Sounds like you just want me to take the exam with a hard on the entire time. Is that a challenge to see if it will throw one of us off? Because I will take that challenge… God, I hope I don’t get kicked out for public indecency.”**

 

**\---**

 

It felt desperately unfair to Light that he was _here_ and L was _there_ , and he had to keep juggling his phone around as he pushed his pants down and rummaged for a bottle of lotion in his nightstand. **“Imagining you in this gag is getting me plenty bothered. I’m probably going to be so loud I’ll have to gag myself with it or wake the whole house up.”** He was kidding because he definitely wanted L to be the first one to break it in, and it was his present after all. But he was going to have to be quiet somehow, that was the last thing he needed the night before the exam.

 

He squirted some lotion in his hand and smoothed it down his cock, looking down at the gag still on his chest and imagining how fucking hot it was going to look pulled tight around L’s head. **“I can’t wait to hear all your muffled screams, because I’m going to fuck you so hard in this you’ll need it. Hope you’re feeling better by tomorrow or you really will have a limp.”**

 

**\---**

 

 _Fuck._ L had to set the phone aside for a minute to shimmy out of his jeans and boxers, reaching over to grab the bottle of lube from where it sat on the nightstand and uncapping it, squirting some in his hand before picking the phone up again. He was breathing heavily as he scrolled back up to look at the pictures again, a shudder of arousal traveling down his spine. **“Will you tie me up again, as well?”** He almost sent another text saying ‘ _I’ll let you take pictures_ ’, but ultimately deleted it. _I’m not sure how I actually feel about him taking pictures of me like that, though I DO really want to see how it looks._

 

His hand was working furiously over his cock as he grinned, texting back with a cheeky, **“OR you can just fuck me raw, babe. I want it. I can take it. I LIKE it. 😏”**

 

**\---**

 

Light squeezed himself hard, turning his head to moan into his shoulder when L asked if he’d tie him up again and even to fuck him raw. _Fuck yes I will, if you’d really let me._ He panted a moment, releasing his grip and stroking loosely a few times. **“Maybe I should bring a few of my school ties to the exam as well, so I don’t have to resort to dinner napkins and bathrobes. Unless you feel like bringing along some real rope.”** Typing that gave him an idea that made him pause his strokes and leap up from the bed, going to rummage in his bookcase for his stash of ‘good’ porn.

 

Taking it back to the bed, he flipped to one of his kinbaku-bi books (loosely described, it was naked men tied up in various formations of kinbaku) and snapped some pictures of a few of his favorite poses. **“Would you let me fuck you like this?”** He sent the snaps along too, as he started to stroke himself again. He was hoping that one of _his_ fantasies would be as well received as L’s, kneeling on his bed and staring down at the pictures which had just become L in his mind.

 

**\---**

 

A breathless giggle left L at the thought of being tied up in Light’s school ties, or even actual rope, though he would definitely have to purchase some, if so... and he didn’t carry a bag, usually. Still, it definitely appealed. Another buzz indicated that he’d gotten another text, and he stared at the pictures in shock, squeezing hard at himself to try not to come right there. “Holy _shit_ ,” he whispered, hurriedly typing a short series of texts in his excitement, each punctuated by a stroke. There was no way he was going to last too much longer if Light kept sending sexy images like _that_. He visualized himself naked.

 

 **“YES.”** Wearing nothing but that ball gag.

 

 **“HOLY SHIT YES.”** Restrained in a similar manner to the first picture Light had sent.

 

 **“That’s your GOOD porn. Gotta be!”** Maybe blindfolded?

 

 **“Isn’t it?”** A sharp moan left him, and he dropped the phone, biting at his fingers to try and keep quiet, _so close_ to coming that he could _taste_ it.

 

**\---**

 

Light was leaning on his hand over the kinbaku pictures, stroking himself fast after L’s texts. He wanted to text back right away but he was so excited himself, imagining himself taking his time to wrap each intricate knot and the build up in anticipation as L kneeled before him, waiting. He leaned into the bed, burying his face in the mattress as he nearly came from that mental image, groaning loudly as his hand stilled. He turned his face and breathed a moment, pushing back up onto his knees to pick up the phone with slightly trembling fingers. **“Fuck, you have no idea what this is doing to me right now. The LAST thing on my mind is going to be the exam.”**

 

He pumped into his hand a few times, head lolling back as he fantasized about what L’s tight body would feel like _raw? Could he take the pain?_ **“Yes, that’s...some of my good porn. There’s more. Should I bring that too?”** He cast a glance at the stack, wondering if some of it was probably too filthy for L. _Maybe just a few things._

 

**\---**

 

“Ahhh, _god_ , Light,” L whispered, breathing hard as he thrust up into his fist. It was difficult to type the message one handed, but he finally managed it. **“I think I have SOME idea. I’m a little sad I’m not there, but if I have to lose my mind getting off on my own, at least I know you’re in a similar boat.”**

 

 _Just a little more.._ Little ‘ahh’s of pleasure were leaving his mouth on every stuttering stroke now, and he sent one more text, **“Oh, yesplz!”** , before biting at his wrist to muffle his cry as he spilled over his hand and stomach, shuddering with the aftershocks.

 

**\---**

 

Light looked down at the phone when L responded but he was too far gone to reply. The ball gag was in his fist as he pressed it to the bed, holding himself up as he thrust into his other one. He whimpered quietly as the pleasure built to the point of no return, and he managed to turn onto his back and yank a pillow in front of his face before he finally shot all over his stomach and chest. Even with that, he knew he could have been heard if anyone was still awake, but he didn’t care.

 

He pulled the pillow away when he felt his lungs burning for air, gasping quietly with his eyes closed as he squeezed the last bit of cum from his cock. _Fuck._ His legs slid down flat and he felt boneless, blindly reaching for his phone beside him in the darkness. **“I made a huge mess and probably woke up my whole family. :P”** He giggled quietly, slowly sitting up to wipe his hand on a tissue and grab a few more to clean himself up. He wanted to just pass out but forced himself up on shaky legs to take his whole porn stash and the gag and dump it into his own school bag. _Not much room for anything else in there._

 

That done, he slid under the covers, holding the phone close. **“I can’t wait to see you tomorrow. I guess I better get some sleep since I got zilch last night. Wish you were here. I’ll be dying to touch you when I see you.”**

 

**\---**

 

When he finally got a text back, L giggled, fingers in his mouth as he licked them clean. _Made a huge mess, I believe it,_ he thought, clicking into his camera. Scooping his fingers into the remains of the cooling mess on his own stomach, he brought them back up to stick in his mouth again and smiled, snapping a picture and sending it off before he could talk himself out of it. **“I did too.** **😊** **Hopefully nobody came back to my suite, THAT might be embarrassing. But at least I cleaned it up** **😉** **”**

 

Letting out a contented sigh, L turned over onto his side, curling up as he wrote back, **“Missed you. I can’t wait to see you again, either. But at least after tomorrow, we won’t have to hide the fact that we at least know each other. And you’ll get to meet Watari probably on Saturday, he insisted on being the one to drive us to the concert. I think he’s unhappy with what we did to the limo.** **😉** **It was SO worth it. Anyway. Get some sleep, and I will see you tomorrow, beautiful.”** He giggled; _that_ had been an embarrassing aside, but at least the man wasn’t completely disapproving of his current choices.

 

**\---**

 

Light clamped a hand over his mouth to stifle the moan in response to the picture L sent, immediately saving it to an encrypted folder on his phone. _No way I’m letting that get away._ He texted back, **“Oh damn, I love it when you send me filthy pictures. PLEASE don’t stop doing that. If I can’t have you, at least I can see you :) You’re so fucking hot.”**

 

He snuggled down in the covers, plugging in his phone and setting an alarm for early in the morning. It still wasn’t terribly late so he’d get some good rest after all. **“I’m looking forward to meeting the people important to you. The concert’s gonna be amazing. Tomorrow can’t come soon enough. Goodnight babe. <3”**

 

**\---**

 

The compliment Light gave him made L smile, blushing a little. _Does he really think so?_ He looked at the picture, and tilted his head a bit as he studied it, trying to put aside the knowledge that the picture was of _him. What does he see?_ A low giggle left him as he grinned, and he had to silently agree that the picture itself was pretty hot, considering the implications of the content. “Thank you, Light,” he murmured. He was already typing when another text came in, and he paused to read it, only to let out a soft, “Awww..”

 

 **“Thank you.** **😊** **And you’re definitely going to get more if you liked that one. Glad my impulsive decision paid off! As for tomorrow… I can make a reservation at the Hyatt again. I quite liked staying there.** **😘** **Night!”**

 

With a laugh, L hopped off the bed and tugged his jeans and shirt on before going to grab a glass of water from the kitchen. As he made his way back, he noticed Watari sitting in one of the chairs in the main room and stopped in his tracks. _Shit. Did he hear any of that?!_ “Um. Hi.”

 

Watari cracked a smile and said dryly, “Your observational skills seem to go down after sex, I see.”

 

“Watari!” L flushed, pouting at the man and trying not to smile… mainly because it was only somewhat true. _Guess he did._

 

“I sent everyone home. _Now_ I would like to know where you were for half of the day… at least, where you were between 9 am and when you got back, because you certainly weren’t at the Sakura.” The amused smile on Watari’s face just pulled a sigh from L, and he went to sit in the chair across from the man.

 

“It’s a long story, but I’ll try and give you the highlights,” L said softly, sipping at his water to try and hide how flustered he was as he began relaying the pertinent details. _How much should I tell him? I could tell him about Ryuk, but… no. He’s Light’s companion, he’s not MY secret to tell. I won’t take that decision away from Light. But… should I tell him about B?_ After a moment, L decided against that as well. He needed to relay _that_ information to Light, first, and if Light felt comfortable telling Watari about the existence of the shinigami, himself, he would bring up B then.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Songs sung to Ryuk in this chapter:  
> ‘Wish You Were Here’ by Pink Floyd (https://youtu.be/IXdNnw99-Ic)  
> ‘Happy Together’ by The Turtles (https://youtu.be/9ZEURntrQOg)  
> ‘Thank You’ by Dido (https://youtu.be/1TO48Cnl66w)  
> Also mentioned by L is this scene from Monty Python and the Holy Grail (https://youtu.be/0D7hFHfLEyk) when he’s thinking about Truize and the balcony.


	26. Entrance Exam

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Light and L take the To-Oh entrance exam, Ryuk has a special mission, and Light gets a very odd feeling upon meeting Watari.

Light’s parents had dropped him off at To-Oh University, and he was looking his absolute best today both to make a good impression on the professors here and because of what he knew would be happening _after_ the exam. He’d had a little extra money left over after buying the ball-gag for L, and had bought a sleek black cashmere sweater that he had a white collared shirt and grey tie on underneath. The sweater had definitely been a splurge but it looked so good on him he couldn’t turn it down. He’d chosen some grey dress pants that really flattered his ass, but this was mostly just to entice L (he hoped the professors wouldn’t be impressed by _that)._

 

Ryuk was there too of course, flapping behind Light looking chuffed as he got out of the car. “Uh, guess college is kinda fancy then, huh? Lawli’s gonna get a treat lookin’ at ya, mmmhmm.”

 

Light smiled, whispering under his breath since no one was around just now. “Thanks. And remember what we talked about earlier, don’t forget cause it’s important.”

 

Ryuk nodded, “Yeah yeah, as long as I get some more apple soda, I’ll do it.”

 

Light breathed out a little in relief, hoping the shinigami would keep his word. He’d felt a little stupid at first carrying two backpacks (his own, full of porn and that gag, along with Shinji’s) but luckily he ran into Shinji right in the commons on his way to the testing classroom.

 

“Light!” Shinji looked like he’d gotten some sleep and had been practically scrubbed raw, wearing some nice new clothes too that his mother must have made him wear today. Usually he preferred a more skater or punk style of clothes, ripped jeans and band shirts and decade-old Converses. He made an impressed face as he caught up with Light, whistling softly, “Holy shit! Are you going to walk the catwalk today or take a test?”

 

Light smirked at him, pretending not to be flattered, “And look at you. Not a hole or band of questionable taste to be seen.” He handed Shinji’s backpack to him, “There’s your things, thank you again.”

 

Shinji took the backpack and stuffed it into his larger and practically empty one. He laughed, “Naw, my mom wouldn’t let me out of the house with my old Dookie shirt on today. Ugh. I feel like some kinda poser looking like this. Even had to wear dress shoes.” He kicked at some rocks on the ground as he grumbled, but they’d reached the classroom now and had to be quiet.

 

Light felt a little nervous since he hadn’t seen L anywhere in the commons and, looking around the classroom, he wasn’t here either. _Damn it L, where are you? The test is about to start in a few minutes!_ He gave Shinji a nod of good luck and made his way to an empty desk, putting his backpack underneath it. A pencil was already on the desk and the proctor was at the head of the classroom, looking at her watch with a stack of the tests. He watched as Ryuk floated around the room, a disappointed look on the shinigami’s face at the lack of anything really to see and do in here. _You’ll have a job soon Ryuk, just stay focused._ He gave Shinji a little smile in the next aisle and tapped his pencil impatiently. _Hurry up L!_

 

Checking his phone, L swore softly under his breath and quickened his pace. The exam was starting in ten minutes, and he had been held up by a short lineup in the shop. “If I’m unable to take the test because some idiot didn’t know how to work their debit card, I’m going to be _supremely_ pissed,” he muttered, dashing across campus and following the signs for the exam. Honestly, now he was kind of grateful Watari had insisted he tie his shoelaces _for once_ , because with his luck, he would have tripped and fallen flat on his face.

 

Luckily, he made it to the exam with two minutes to spare, hurrying inside red faced and huffing. The proctor merely glared at him and directed him towards an empty seat near the back - a few seats behind Light, he noticed, and his heart began to pound erratically as he took in how _good_ Light looked. _I can’t believe he’s all mine_ , L thought, forcing himself to move instead of staring like a love struck fool. It was difficult to walk past him without saying anything, and he couldn’t stop himself from glancing down at the teen with the hint of a smile on his lips, sliding into his assigned seat and slinging the brand new backpack under the desk. _Shit. I can’t believe I almost didn’t make it in time_.

 

Light heard the door to the classroom open with only a measly two minutes before the test was about to start, and forced himself not to turn around in his seat to see if it was L. He let out a long silent breath when L walked past him and gave a tiny smile, but he wondered what in the hell had kept him. It didn’t matter now, L had leaped into the single empty desk, and the proctor was now giving her monologue about the rules and time limit for the exam as she passed the tests out face-downwards.

 

“You have until 5 pm to complete the test, and there will be short 15-minute breaks every two hours, with a one-hour recess for lunch.” After all the tests were passed out, she watched the clock and said, “Turn your tests over and begin.”

 

As L surreptitiously toed his shoes off under the desk, he glanced around the room, noting with a slight frown that Ryuk was hovering in between Light and another boy, as if waiting for something to do. He was a little surprised the shinigami wasn’t zooming around the room looking for something fun to do.

 

Light met Ryuk’s eyes, and the shinigami sidled closer to watch as Light quickly filled in the bubbles on the multiple-choice part of the test. Ryuk already knew exactly what to do, and floated over to Shinji, yanking his pencil over to the correct bubble and filling it in.

 

“Whaaaaa?” Shinji’s eyes were wide as saucers as he looked around a moment, shutting up quick at the annoyed look on the proctor’s face at his outburst. But he gradually stopped fighting whatever invisible force was guiding his pencil.

 

Light was biting his lip to keep from grinning at the astonished yet relieved look on Shinji’s face, and Ryuk was providing unneeded humorous commentary about how bad this kid would be bombing the test if not for him. _You?! You’re just the messenger you big oaf. Like you know how to derive equations or conjugate French verbs._ He’d told Ryuk this morning not to give Shinji _every_ answer, but to make sure he got enough to pass, so around 80%. He knew he’d finish well before Shinji would and Ryuk knew to stick around until the poor kid was done. Luckily one thing Ryuk _did_ have was a photographic memory with perfect recall, although some of his extremely ancient memories were deeply buried and more difficult to access. The demon would fulfill his part of the bargain and would meet up with them later.

 

L had honestly been a little worried that his distraction over thinking about the text conversation with Light the previous evening would hinder his ability to answer the questions, but Light hadn’t been overselling how _easy_ the test was. And it was _painfully_ easy. _I didn’t even have to study at all, geez._ Of course, it hadn’t hurt that he’d already _seen_ Light ‘studying’ each section on the surveillance, but even if he hadn’t… well.

 

After about an hour, Light was finished, but he remained in his seat pretending to look over his answers, but really just giving Ryuk a chance to see everything he’d written down on the whole test. Shinji would be on his own for the essays (Light pitied the professors that would have to read his prose), but even if he bombed those, he should pass. When Ryuk gave a nod indicating that he’d memorized everything, Light got up with his test and headed to the front of the classroom. But someone jumped up in front of him and got to the proctor first. _L!!!_

 

Once L was done, he quickly scanned everything, just to make sure he hadn’t missed any questions, and got up with his test - a little thrill went through him when he saw Light stand up as well and head for the front, and he quickened his pace enough to get in front of the teen, handing the paper to the proctor with a smug little grin on his face.

 

Light sucked in a surprised breath but didn’t let his expression change. _You brat, handing in your test before me…_ He bit his tongue and gave L a sexy little death stare that said _You’ll pay for that later._

 

 _Should’ve walked faster, Light_ , L thought, biting his lip to stifle a giggle when Light glared at him, and he shifted his stance a little. The promise of retribution in that look was definitely _doing things_ to him, and he turned his attention to the proctor when he heard his alias, flushing a little.

 

“Ah! Hideki-san are you finished already?!” The proctor’s eyes widened in disbelief, turning to Light as well. “You too Yagami-san?!” She took both their tests and checked them over, seeing that they really had answered all the questions on all pages of the test. Every eye in the room was on them now, the students tittering behind them and waiting for the proctor to yell at them or send them back to their seats for joking. Shakily, “I-I...this is unprecedented but I suppose you really _are_ both finished.” She gave them a look, as if wondering if they’d cheated somehow, but she and two other teachers had been watching the room like hawks. The students in the room only started whispering louder at that, until the proctor hissed a warning at the class, “Quiet! Eyes on your tests!” Back to Light and L, “You may go. Your decision letters will arrive by email as soon as the tests are graded in a couple days.”

 

Honestly, the woman at the desk couldn’t give them the go ahead soon enough. “Thank you,” L said softly to the proctor, turning away and giving Light a glancing once over before smiling slowly at him, nodding slightly. “Yagami-san.” He walked back to his desk, mouth dry and hands shaking slightly as he grabbed his things and made a beeline for the door. It was too stuffy in the room all of a sudden, and he desperately needed some fresh air. _Did he wear that just to blow my mind?_ L thought, swallowing hard and glancing behind him to see what Light was doing. _Hurry up, Light, I want you too badly to wait very long, now._

 

Light raised an eyebrow as L grabbed his things and shot out the door. _What’s gotten into him today?_ He gave the proctor a practiced smile and casually walked back to his desk to get his backpack.

 

“Uhh, guess I’ll find ya later Light-o. Shinji might be here awhile.” Ryuk’s shoulders slumped but he brightened when Light gave him a little wink as he walked out the door.

 

His backpack was pretty stuffed and heavy on his back, he’d be glad to finally put it down. What was making him even more nervous than the porn and gag was that he’d decided to bring the death note too, to show L when they finally got some privacy. He blinked as he stepped into the sunshine and still-brisk morning air, but didn’t see L around immediately. _Hmm. Where’d he run to?_

 

However, across the commons he spied a limousine idling just outside the main entrance to the college. _Wonder if that’s Watari or Aiber again this time._ The commons was empty due to everyone either being in real class or taking the exam, and he made his way towards the car as he looked around for L. _Did he really make a beeline dash for the car that quick?_

 

Light strode up to the limo and knocked politely on the glass in the backseat. _Sure hope this is L inside and not some other ridiculously rich student._

 

L hadn’t been expecting Watari to be waiting outside of the entrance for him, but when the limo had pulled up after he’d started walking across the commons, he had been grateful to run over and drop his bag and coat in the back. He rolled down the window of the limo and leaned out, crossing his arms on the edge as he asked brightly, “What _took_ you so long?” He heard Watari’s chuckle from the front seat and twitched, face flushing slightly as he opened the door for Light.

 

Light gave him a brilliant smile when the window descended. He giggled, stepping back when the door swung open. “I had no idea that you could move that fast. Maybe you should try out for track while you’re here.”

 

"... Surprise?" Giggling, L said teasingly, “Didn’t I tell you? I used to play tennis. I’m pretty athletic when I want to be.” His eyes slid down to the backpack, which seemed to be weighing heavily behind Light, and he grinned, kicking his shoes off. “How about you get in.”

Light let his backpack slide into his hand and tossed it into the car before sliding in himself. He pulled the door shut, sighing happily that the exam was finally _done._ Even if it was a cinch, his parents’ stress and anxiety had bled into him and he didn’t realize it fully until it was over.

 

Reaching into his backpack and pulling out a box of Pocky, L pulled out a biscuit and offered the box to Light. “Want some?” Looking Light over again, he bit his lip before saying almost shyly, “You, ah…” Gesturing at Light’s outfit, L glanced up at him through his eyelashes, unable to hide the breathy quality to his voice as he continued in a hush, “You look _gorgeous_. What’s the special occasion?”

 

Taking the proffered Pocky (strawberry mousse, his favorite kind), Light draped an arm around L, grinning from the compliment. “The special occasion? Just meeting my boyfriend of course.” He sucked in a quick breath, eyes flicking up to the open window between them and a driver who was definitely not Aiber. _Oh shit, maybe I shouldn’t have said that._ He leaned in closer to L, whispering in his ear, “Is that Watari? Is it alright to talk openly?”

 

L glanced at the front, thrilling inwardly at the easy way Light draped over him, and called out pointedly, “Watari, meet Light Yagami. Light, Watari.” A pause, and then he murmured, “The man who basically saved my life. He adopted me years ago.”

 

Light smiled back into the rearview mirror, giving Watari a slight nod. “Nice to meet you, sir.” He hadn’t heard a lot of details about Watari, but knew he was important to L and was surprised to hear that L considered the older man to have saved his life.

 

Watari glanced in the rearview mirror to them, and gave Light a slight smile, nodding to him. “You as well. L has given me all the pertinent details. Your secret is safe with me, Light Yagami, though I _will_ warn you... If you hurt him, you _will_ answer to me.”

 

“Watari!” L gaped at him, blushing as he buried his face in his knees with a groan.

 

Light stiffened nervously when Watari mentioned ‘his secret,’ _very_ unused to talking about that so blithely and right off the bat with barely more than a how-do-you-do. His smile faltered altogether when it wasn’t clear whether Watari was...warning him or threatening him? _What’s going on here? Why would he think I’d hurt L, if anyone’s in danger here it’s me._ Light’s arm slinked down from L, feeling the weight of the older man’s eyes now. _He probably saw the bruises._ But he held his gaze, speaking softly but firm, “I promise that’s _not_ what I intend to do.”

 

 _Of all the bloody times for Watari to turn protective…_ “I’m sorry, Light, ignore that, he’s never been like this before,” L said, voice muffled behind his knees.

 

“I’ve never had to be protective of you before, either, L,” Watari said, turning around to look at them with an amused smile. “Let an old man enjoy this. It’s been a long time since I’ve been able to do it.”

 

Light relaxed a little when it became clearer that Watari was just acting in a protective way towards L, and he could appreciate that. It felt good for someone to care, he was glad that L had that in his life. In a way, it made him wish his parents knew too, just so he could feel it. _It might be a lot more complicated with my family. Protectiveness probably won’t be the major point of contention._

 

“Kill me now,” L muttered, glaring up at the man.

 

Watari only laughed and faced forward again. “Where to?”

 

 _That_ brought a smile to L’s face, and he turned back to Light. _I hope you like what I got us._ “The Park Hyatt. Please.” Leaning forward, he whispered in Light’s ear, “I upgraded the room, and booked it for two days… just in case you wanted to stay with me after the concert tomorrow night.”

 

Light perked up considerably when L announced that they were going back to the Park Hyatt, grinning from ear to ear. “Alright!” He scooted closer, speaking low since he wasn’t used to Watari’s presence yet, “Two days sounds fabulous, of course I want to stay. Since we’ve now ‘officially’ met, maybe you could tell your _boss_ about the new recruit and that I’m getting a crash briefing on the case.” His parents were already aware he was going to the concert tomorrow, supposedly meeting up with Shinji and some other friends there, but he hadn’t mentioned what he’d be doing tonight or tomorrow before the concert.

 

L leaned into Light’s side and reached down to twine their fingers together before dropping a kiss to Light’s cheek. “So, who exactly are you implying is my boss? Watari? One of the others?” _Your father? That makes the most sense._ His expression was both pleased _and_ smug as he whispered, “As far as everyone on the case is concerned, Light, _I_ am the boss.” Pulling back slightly, he brought his fingers up to press to his bottom lip, a soft chuckle escaping him. “Are you _sure_ you want to join up now?” He almost made a silly comment about Light sleeping with the boss, but then decided that was… probably in poor taste. He didn’t mean it, and he didn’t want to actually upset him. A smile of genuine amusement flitted across his lips when Watari sighed and put the window up. _Good call, Watari. I’ll inform the others later of my absence. I really should let them know what’s going on, and it DOES provide a good reason for both Light and myself to be gone until Sunday._

 

Light was feeling quite unsettled but it was with some relief that he watched the window go up between themselves and Watari. L was answering his questions, but Light was still trying to analyze in his mind what the reasons were for the older man being so blunt with him, and how seriously to take his threat. On the one hand, if Light were in his shoes, he would probably be suspicious of the handsome murder suspect seducing his way from underneath the case that would mean his execution. On the other, it meant that L hadn’t really prepared Watari for what was happening here.

 

It didn’t help Light’s anxiety that L hadn’t spoken up in his defense as he’d done when Aiber had given him a much milder slight. _Why?_ Beneath the kindly veneer, Light recognized steel in Watari’s eyes; this was no jovial grandfather, he could see that plain as day. While the older man certainly had warm feelings towards L, there was something ruthless that bothered Light quite a bit. Light was Kira, and Kira would not be under the thumb of anyone at all. Having to watch over his shoulder or kowtow to anyone who might try to blackmail or pressure him was one of the many excellent reasons he’d stayed hidden and never told a soul.

 

 _And then the first thing he tries to do is threaten me._ It made Light regret agreeing to tell him in the first place, and he didn’t like the feeling of not being able to trust L’s judgment. Not when his life and everything he wanted to accomplish depended on that, and now on Watari’s silence too. _Your secret is safe with me. Was it?_ Now he was immensely curious, even needful to know what L had told Watari. He hoped that the detective had held some things back and that Watari hadn’t pumped him for every bit of information.

 

He turned to L, smiling a little blankly. “Yes, of course I want to join. I guess you being the boss makes everything a little easier. I’m just used to it being my Dad...at least in local cases, he’s always been the one in charge.” Light had no delusions that he’d be able to hide how he was feeling from L, and he didn’t even want to. But as he glanced around the limo, he only saw hiding places for listening devices, cameras, all the things that had already been used against him in secret. _To spy, to listen, to accumulate evidence against me._

 

“By the way, you haven’t even asked what’s in my backpack,” L pointed out, changing tacks completely. He smiled at Light, gaze going to the teen’s own heavy backpack. It probably wouldn’t do for him to ask what was in _Light’s_ bag. He already had an idea of some of it. _Porn - the good stuff - and toys. I cannot WAIT to play with that gag._

 

L’s backpack and his own might have well fallen into two black holes for as much as they were on Light’s mind now. “Um, how about we talk about that when we get to the hotel.”

 

 _Oh no.._. L knew that look. His smile drooped slightly, and he wilted. He had no idea what exactly it was that had caused Light to shut down, but he _did_ know that there was really nothing to do but remove him from the situation that was causing it. _So I guess I need to find out or figure it out quickly._ “Your father’s still technically in charge of the other NPA officers, by the way,” L said softly, mind working furiously over everything that had been said during the brief exchange when Light had first gotten into the limo. “I’m just the one who has been ultimately calling the shots. Truthfully, I’ve been running it more like a partnership, so your father _does_ have a lot of sway in the final decision of certain things.”

 

He frowned slightly as one particular exchange niggled at him, looking away and asked, “Would you like me to give him a call right now to let him know you’ll be joining the task force? It’s probably going to be a little over twenty minutes before we get to the hotel, and your suggestion was a good one.” _Did I really just IGNORE what Watari said to Light? I can’t do anything about what he SAID, and I thought after explaining things last night, he would UNDERSTAND… but I should have told him there was no reason for him to worry. Shit. Why didn’t I? No wonder Light isn’t happy right now._

 

Leaning in again after a long moment of trying to decide on a way to fix things, pressing a kiss to Light’s cheek, L laid a hand carefully on his arm before whispering, “I’m sorry for not saying anything to Watari just now, Light, I _know_ you would never hurt me. That was rude of me. Would you like me to set him at ease now, or after I call your father?” He didn’t bring up the rest, it was clearly the wrong time for that.

 

Light was brought back to himself by the feeling of L’s lips on his cheek, and his tense muscles relaxed gradually as he listened to his whispering. His ego had been slightly bruised, feelings hurt by L’s inaction. But it was more the panic of being in a situation where someone unknown and potentially antagonistic to him knew who he was. _What will happen if I make decisions or do things he doesn't like? Will I ‘answer to him’ then too?_ The only other person who knew about him was Misa, and she’d already used that knowledge to manipulate and pressure him, twist his actions and words into the things she wanted. He’d been successful in outmaneuvering her and instead using her to his purposes, but Watari seemed much too smart to be handled in such a way.

 

He leaned closer to L, whispering back, “Of course I wouldn’t hurt you. But that’s not the only thing bothering me here.” Couldn’t L figure it out? Why he’d be so nervous? “Maybe call my father later today, I don’t want him to know I’ve finished the exam so quickly.” Plus, he needed some resolution with Watari, or at least _something_ , or it would be on his mind all day and keep him from relaxing.

 

It was gratifying to know that his apology had eased Light’s tension somewhat, and L half smiled at that. _I knew that wasn’t all of it, though._ “If you’re bothered by what he said…” Flicking a glance towards the front, L sighed and continued, “I honestly don’t know why he said that. He’s never shown _that_ kind of protective behaviour over me before, not that I know of.” He couldn’t exactly do much to ease Light’s feelings there if he didn’t know what Watari meant by it, and Light’s entirely understandable reaction was also bothering him a little. _I want them to get along._

 

“Wait…” Eyes widened, and L shook his head. “Geez, now I know how _you_ felt when Ryuk and I were taking shots at each other,” L murmured, immediately recognizing his thought as something Light had said as well. His gaze drifted back up to Light’s and he hesitated, unsure of what to do. “So I’ll call your father around 3 instead, yes? That gives us a little leeway time, might seem a little more natural, at least for us to have met and started talking.” Back to his original plan, then. And he was over explaining, which he _only_ did when he didn’t really know what to do. “That still begs the question, what do you need, exactly, from me right _now_ , Light?” He was itching to kiss him again, but he didn’t know if Light would push him away or not, so he settled for just sliding his fingers back down to twine into Light’s, squeezing affectionately.

 

Ryuk and Watari’s reactions didn’t really feel like the same thing to Light. _It’s not like Ryuk can go tell the world you’re L and expose you._ He squeezed L’s hand back, but just shook his head a little, “There’s nothing you can do right now. Maybe when we get to the hotel we can talk about it. I don’t want to leave things like this or I’m going to be on edge.”

 

 _Should have just gotten on the train_ , L thought, slumping down beside Light with an unhappy sigh. There wasn’t anything he could really say to that, anyway.

 

Light was quiet for the rest of the car ride, not really feeling at liberty to talk without knowing if their conversation was being listened to. Even if it wasn’t, Light now realized he didn’t know exactly what L had told or said to Watari, even though he really should have asked in detail what happened. _That was my lapse, but I was distracted by other things. Am I becoming so distracted by my relationship with L that it’s clouding my judgement? Missing things, not considering risks properly? Possible…_

 

It wasn’t comfortable but time and the car moved forward until they arrived at the Park Hyatt, pulling under the dropoff overhang out front. Before the window came back down, Light whispered, “You could talk to him here by yourself, or maybe we all go inside and talk. Your call. I need some air, just let me know what you decide.” He gave L’s hand a quick kiss before releasing it, opening the door quickly to get out and letting his lungs open up to really breathe. It was less claustrophobic now, and he went to lean against the wall to scroll through his emails while L did whatever he was going to do.

 

The one thing L refused to do, despite his sulking, was let go of Light’s hand, and when Light pressed a kiss to it before getting out of the car, a ghost of a smile twitched across his lips. _Good idea to find out what the hell is going on, though._

 

Light couldn’t see into the darkly tinted windows of the car, but L had stayed inside so he assumed L wanted to speak with Watari. He pulled up the footage of Truize falling off the balcony while he waited, which cheered him up a little. Now that some time had passed since his death, it seemed that multiple perspectives of his ‘descent’ had been cobbled together into a now-viral slow motion video set to Carl Orff’s ‘O Fortuna.’ It would have been very inappropriate for Light to giggle right now, so instead he saved it to show to L later.

 

Back inside the car, L slid up to the partition, tapping on the window and waiting for Watari to put the window down before asking sulkily, “What the hell _was_ that?”

 

“What was what?”

 

The bland look Watari gave him _actually_ made him angry. “You know _exactly_ what I’m talking about. What’s the problem? I trust Light not to hurt me, or I wouldn’t be continuing to see him,” L said, eyes narrowing.

 

There was a long silence as Watari stared at him before he said one word. “Cynthia.”

 

Mouth dropping open in shock, L stared at him, an uncomfortable flush flooding his face. _Cynthia?! What does C have to do with-_ “I don’t want to hear about _her_.”

 

“And I don’t want another situation like _that_ on my hands.” Watari’s voice was uncharacteristically harsh, and L turned away, barking out an equally harsh laugh as he gathered up the backpacks.

 

“Were you _threatening_ him because you’re afraid he’s going to hurt my fragile _feelings_?” L demanded, knowing that he was really just proving that question true by reacting the way he was. _‘Why would I ever go out with a freak like YOU?’_ He turned away, glaring at nothing, the sting of remembered rejection still painful, doubly so upon the realization that he’d spent the last six years basing his interactions with other people around that one incident. _Act like you don’t need anyone so they can’t hurt you. I still can’t believe I was so blinded by infatuation that I didn’t see she was just stringing me along._

 

“I’m not going to dictate your relationship.”

 

“Maybe you should tell that to _Light_ ,” L said, taking a deep breath, and then another, trying to calm his frayed nerves. _That was a completely different situation, and I’ve tried to forget about it for years for a REASON, how could he bring it up like that?_ “Did you at least mean it when you said you would keep his secret?”

 

“Of course I meant it,” Watari replied quietly, giving L a sympathetic look that went unappreciated for the moment. Maybe he’d appreciate it later, but right now...

 

Sniffling a bit, L took one last shaky breath, finally managing to compose himself somewhat before letting it out. “Let me go check us in. If you really mean to help us, I’m going to need you to tell Light these things _yourself_ , or he’ll never trust you.”

 

“As you wish.”

 

The comment made L smile, if a little shakily, and he sighed.

 

“Would you like me to wait here, or find somewhere to park?”

 

“Park. Come up to the room to talk, it will be private. I’ll text you the room number once Light and I are settled.”

  
Once Watari nodded, L stepped out of the car, hefting the bags in surprise as he shut the door. _How many books do you HAVE in here, Light?_ “Watari will be up once we get settled,” he said quietly, once he reached the teen. A smile flickered over his face as he took in again how Light looked. “Come with me, I want to get our keys first.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The music that the Truize video meme is set to is Carl Orff’s ‘O Fortuna’ (https://youtu.be/GXFSK0ogeg4).


	27. Assets and Liabilities

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Watari, Light, and L have an honest discussion, but it leaves Light very unsettled for several reasons. L and Light fess up to their feelings.

Light put his phone away when the detective finally exited the car and came up to him, and he felt concerned that something bad had happened given the strained look on L’s face. _At the same time, I can tell he’s trying to hide it. Something upset him but he doesn’t want me to know?_ But L was smiling at him now, and he couldn’t help but smile back, taking his heavy backpack and shrugging it on.

 

He nodded when L said Watari would follow them up shortly, “Alright. Lead the way.” Despite it only being his second time here, this hotel felt familiar and full of happy memories for Light, so it was impossible not to grin as they stepped into the beautiful lobby. Whispering to L, “I think I’ll feel amazed every time I step in here. Thank you again, _Ryuzaki._ ” He took L’s hand and his smile was easier, more genuine now. It felt good to be a united front and that L really did care about the worries he felt and wanted to resolve them. That meant a hell of a lot to him.

 

Hearing Light call him _Ryuzaki_ again made L giggle, which went a long way to brightening his mood. “You’re welcome, _Asahi_.” The clerk at the desk was the same man who had checked them in the previous week, and he seemed a little surprised to see them back but only nodded curtly once L gave him his information, handing the key cards over with only a perfunctory reminder of their checkout time. With a smile, L turned to Light and handed the second key card off to him.

 

“So,” he said softly as they headed towards the elevators. “Watari’s comments were… well… I’m honestly not sure I can explain it, aside from they weren’t really about _you_ . I want you to be able to trust each other. I hope you’re feeling a little less out of sorts, Light.” _Please don’t bring up how upset I probably still look, at least until we get to the room_ , he silently asked, reaching for Light’s hand once it became clear they were going to be alone for the ride up. They were only a few floors from the top of the building this time.

 

Light took advantage of the empty elevator to hold L close and kiss him gently. “Yes, I’m feeling a little better, and I hope talking to him will erase my nervousness altogether.” He was a little worried about L now too, who still didn’t look at ease. “Being here is magical, no matter what. I won’t let anything happen to ruin that.” _And I’ll cheer you up with that Truize video later._

 

A happy sigh passed between them as they kissed, and L took that opportunity to wrap his arms around Light’s waist, eyes dancing with a bit of mischief. He was already feeling a little bit better, his smile more genuine and amused as he said, “Oh… we might have to get used to calling each other by our aliases again, Ryuzaki is actually the name I use for the case.” He paused, huffing out a laugh as he brought up the name dropped at the exam, “As is Hideki, though the team doesn’t know about _that_ one. And you might as well share Asahi with your father, it makes things easier.”

 

Still, L was grateful to hear Light’s promise, and he was just leaning in to press another kiss to Light’s lips when the door opened and a pointed cough sounded outside of the door. L pulled back quickly, seeing they were on their floor. The man staring blandly at them looked distinctly _not_ Japanese, and they maneuvered around the man into the hall.  “So I really wanted to get this suite for mainly _one_ reason,” L commented, a little more excitement bleeding through now that they were finally _here_ , and he could show off his surprise, keying the door open and gesturing Light into the room with an eager grin.

 

Light suddenly felt giddy standing at the door to the suite, his momentary embarrassment at being caught kissing L by a stranger forgotten in the light of L’s excitement to show him. He giggled, “Well don’t keep me in suspense.” They’d gone up a lot more floors than last time, which he knew meant they were heading towards the more exclusive suites. _You’re really spoiling me, L._ He gasped softly as he stepped into the foyer, his eyes immediately falling on the grand piano taking up an entire corner of the living room. He wandered inside in a happy daze, turning between it and L, laughing in surprise, “A piano??”

 

Once Light had stepped in, L followed suit, tugging his phone out of his pocket and typing out a quick message to Watari with the room number. That should still give them at _least_ five minutes, possibly more, to gush over the room before Watari got there. _I wonder if he’ll want to play it right away._ “A piano,” L confirmed, smiling so widely at Light’s reaction that his face hurt.

 

Light dropped his backpack to the ground, torn between wanting to run to the piano right away and sweeping L into his arms. The latter urge won out and he rushed the man, pulling him into a deep kiss while grinning madly. Pulling back, eyes shining, “You’re too good to me.”

 

The way Light pulled him into his arms and kissed him sent the last of L’s worry running away, and he melted into Light’s arms with a soft, happy sound. _Oh, I like spoiling you._

 

They only had a few minutes before Watari would be here, but Light _had_ to at least try it out. He led L over to the piano and sat down on the bench, running his fingers over the glossy keys. “It’s a Steinway. I’ve never played on anything half so nice as this. My mother’s old upright is...well-loved, but this…” He played a few soft chords, letting out a deep sigh as tension bled away, the effect that playing music always had on him. He closed his eyes and started playing a cover of a pop song that he liked the melody of, Alone by Marshmello, amazed at the richness of the piano’s sound.

 

L couldn’t help but stare raptly at Light, the way he looked so natural sitting down at the exquisite instrument, and he nearly blurted out an ‘ _I love you_ ’ in response to Light’s wonder. He hesitated, but found himself smiling again when Light began playing, a beautiful piece that sounded vaguely familiar. He couldn’t place it, but that didn’t matter; he was too busy watching Light’s hands, now leaning against the side of the piano with his chin in his hand.

 

Light’s reverie was broken by a soft knock at the door and he stopped playing abruptly. He smiled at L, “This is amazing. I can’t wait to hear you play something for me.”

 

A sigh left L at the interruption. _Back to reality for a bit, then_. “I will warn you… I’m going to be a little rusty, I haven’t played in a couple of years,” he said softly, pushing himself reluctantly away from the piano.

 

Light stood up too, taking a deep breath as he walked to the door but waited for L to be the one to open it. Exchanging a meaningful look with L, “Here goes.”

 

L trailed along behind Light before stepping forward to open the door. Watari nodded to them both. “Come in, Watari.” He stepped back and wandered over to the piano, crouching on the bench and refamiliarizing himself with the chords and movements, not pressing down on the keys yet so as not to disturb the other two.

 

Watari stepped into the suite and moved into the living room, giving Light a respectful nod. “I take it that was you playing when I knocked? If so, you are quite talented.”

 

Light’s eyes followed L as he went to crouch on the piano bench, but turned back to the older man as they both went into the living room. He smiled a little at the praise, wondering if L had told Watari that buttering him up wasn’t a bad way to get on his good side, or if the man was being sincere. “Yes, thank you.” He sat down on one of the plush couches across from Watari, leaning back comfortably with no trace of the anxiety he was feeling. “I have my mother to thank for that, she’s an accomplished pianist and has been successful in making me love playing as much as she does.” _But we’re not really here to talk about that, are we?_

 

Light appreciated directness but knew when some nuance was needed too. “L told me that you’ve been his caretaker since he was very small.” He turned to watch L tracing the keys, still so childlike in some ways, fragile, despite being strong in others. Quietly, “I’m glad we have a chance to meet now.”

 

He turned back to Watari, trying to let his voice carry his genuine sentiment, “It’s important to me to get to know the people L cares about.” He wanted to make clear to the older man that Light wasn’t just interested in _using_ him as a tool of Kira, in fact, Light wasn’t even sure if he would be helpful, other than just not impeding them in their plans. He wasn’t planning on asking Watari to do anything he didn’t want to do, except one extremely important thing. _Keep your silence._

 

“I have,” Watari said quietly, smiling at the way Light seemed to relax after his compliment. “His father was a sometime colleague of mine, and I met L when he was very young. Too young to remember.” He glanced over to L, who stared at him in shock.

 

“You never told me you _knew_ my father,” L said quietly, frowning hard at that. Why would Watari have held that information back from him? _And why does the ‘too young to remember’ part ring slightly hollow?_

 

“You never asked,” Watari replied, a small smile flickering briefly across his face before fading away. Sighing, he turned to Light. “I don’t know how much he’s told you about his childhood, but if he brought up the fire…” A pause, and a nod when Light confirmed he had, the man continued softly, “I didn’t find out about it right away, else I would have come to find him immediately. His mother’s relatives hadn’t exactly... approved of her relationship with his father. So when L was orphaned, and no-one came to take him in, I stepped in. The way they were treating him at the orphanage I found him in was _appalling_.”

 

L stared down at the piano keys, chewing on his bottom lip as he debated on taking over this particular story. He probably _should_ be the one to tell Light, but in all honesty, those memories always triggered his anxiety in unhelpful ways whenever he thought about it. Squeezing his eyes shut tightly, he laid his hands on the keys, pressing lightly, a quiet, melancholy tune. _I hope my playing doesn’t disturb them, but I can’t listen to this._

 

It felt a little odd to Light to be talking about L like he was in the next room as opposed to sitting right here, but he only listened with rapt attention as Watari filled in the details of L’s childhood that he’d wondered about. There were things he wanted to ask L about later, like why his mother’s family had disapproved of his parents’ relationship, whether they were detectives too or something else. It seemed like there were things even L didn’t know, hadn’t asked, and as Light inclined his head slightly to hear L’s playing, he realized why. _He doesn’t want to know, it’s painful for him to hear about his childhood._ L’s playing was beautiful but seemed sad, and Light didn’t want to dwell on topics like that.

 

Watari glanced at L for a moment and seemed to consider before continuing, “My own family was long gone or grown, and I run an orphanage that doubles as a school in England, so I brought him there. So yes, I have been his caretaker, and he my ward, since _just_ after he turned six years old.” A laugh, “And he is a willful pain in the ass. But I’m sure you have already figured that out.”

 

“Hey!” L stopped playing, turning a grumpy look to Watari again, and looked over at Light. “He lies. I’m a perfect angel.” He wasn’t sure how he managed to say the blatant lie with a straight face, but he did. Even though he knew both Watari and Light were likely going to call him on it. His lips twitched when Watari just gave him a long-suffering look.

 

Light couldn’t help but laugh at Watari’s cheeky comment about L, hoping L would forgive him. _That took me by surprise after all that heavy talk._ “We seem to have that particular characteristic in common.” He grinned at L, laughing harder at L’s protests about being an angel. Biting his lip, he turned back to raise an eyebrow at Watari like _sure...no comment there._

 

It was interesting that Watari had run an orphanage and a school, and it softened his initial impressions of the man. _There’s some altruism there to take on children with nowhere else to go._ “L was lucky that you found him. The school you run must be an extraordinary place given the depth and breadth of L’s knowledge and abilities.” Of course, Light knew that much of L’s abilities were due to natural talent, but even talent had to be cultivated, set to purpose to thrive. If his mother had never placed his small hands on a piano and taught him, he’d never have become as accomplished a pianist as he was. Watari must have done the same for L at some point, until the pupil exceeds the teacher and goes their own way.

  


_I was DEFINITELY lucky Watari found me,_ L thought to himself, glad that the mood had been lightened a little. It made it easier for him to push his anxiety away again. He turned back to the piano, digging through his memory to pull up one of the exercises he used to play to warm up, to keep his playing loose and comfortable. _God, I am REALLY rusty..._

 

He was quite curious about a number of things about Watari but at the same time, he really wanted to be alone with L, to relax in this suite with the exam behind them and perhaps talk about any separate conclusions they’d come to about more pressing problems. So he met Watari’s eyes and took a more direct approach now. “I’ll be honest, I took a chance when L asked to tell you about me, but I trust him. I trust his judgment, and I want to trust you too.” Seriously, “I mean it when I say I’d never hurt him. I wonder if he told you why I confessed to him in the first place?”

 

When Watari shook his head, Light paused for a moment then went on. “It was because he could be in danger, not from me or anything I was doing as Kira, but from a woman named Misa Amane who is obsessed with me. She is the second Kira and follows my commands, however, this obedience came with a price. I had to pretend to be her boyfriend…” Light averted his eyes as they narrowed in anger, the statement was distasteful to him to say and admit. “...else she had the power to kill me or the people I care about. Especially anyone else I dated.” It was ironic that the true danger to L’s life was now their romantic relationship, rather than the antagonistic one they’d had before.

 

Light calmed, looking back up to Watari. “I told him who I was so he could understand who _she_ was...and protect himself, let me protect him. I took a chance on that too. I didn’t know how he’d respond.” He smiled faintly at L, feeling warmth at remembering how L _did_ respond. “I tell you this so you’ll know...if I truly wanted to hurt him, I never would have exposed myself then, and Misa could have done it and taken the blame.” He stared at Watari, wondering if this information made him more paranoid or less. “My life is in his hands too. And now in yours. I won’t ask you to agree with Kira or do anything but keep your silence. But if you do want to help, I’d welcome it.”

 

L flushed when Light began explaining his motivations to Watari. He had somehow managed to forget to mention Misa when explaining things to Watari the night before, which he supposed was only to be expected when he’d had such an influx of information over the entire previous day. After Light was finished speaking, L glanced over to see Watari gazing at the teen with his fingers steepled together under his chin, a thoughtful expression on his face.

 

“You realize that you could have saved both of you the trouble of hiding your relationship from Misa Amane simply by… breaking things off, if you truly wanted to protect him,” Watari pointed out, a small, curious smile on his face.

 

 _ExCUSE me? Did he really just-_ “ _Bugger_ that,” L declared loudly, sitting up straight and glaring at Watari. _Of all the bloody nerve!_ “I’m _not_ giving this up. Amane can get the hell _out_.”

 

“L, _language_.” Watari sighed. “I’m just saying it was an option-“

 

“ _No_ , it isn’t, _not_ for me, Watari,” L interrupted, looking down, and then back at him defiantly.

 

Light stayed perfectly still and quiet as Watari plinked over all the carefully constructed dominos of his explanations with such a bitter sentiment. That he could have ‘saved them both the trouble’....‘if you _truly_ wanted to protect him.’ Not a muscle moved or twitched but invective flooded his mind as he stared back impassively, registering that L was arguing the point, but why? Why would L, an adult, need to defend his choices and need for companionship to this person who appeared to be treating him like more of an asset Light was squandering than a human being? _How dare you?_ He nearly said something, but then doubted himself, because L clearly cared about Watari’s opinion and would not want them to fight. _Don’t overreact._ Calling him out right here wouldn’t accomplish anything, and what did Watari know...of how hard it was for Light to admit in the back of that limo _everything,_ everything, with no expectation of understanding or approval. Just because he _did_ want to protect L and give _him_ the choice between knowledge and breaking things off. Even though the latter would have damned him.

 

He remained silent as L defended what felt like the wrong thing, protesting to Watari what he wanted versus what it was his right to want. Light looked between them now with confusion but hid it deep, placid as still water.   _Ah, no, there’s the knife. Why it hurts is because you’re being selfish and he sees it. You know it too. Would the unselfish thing be to end it, then?_

 

Watari looked from L to Light, clearly trying to gauge Light’s reaction, and what he saw seemed to satisfy him, because he nodded. “That’s all I wanted to know,” he told Light quietly. “I suppose I don’t need to say any more, aside from I will keep your secret the way I have kept L’s secrets for all these years. And while I won’t help with the actual _plans_ you two might be looking to execute, I will assist with any security matters you might come across. I happen to be one of the best in that field.” With that, he stood, glancing over to L and smiling fondly.

 

L sighed, mildly relieved. He knew that smile; it was the one that Watari always had when he was trying to convey ‘ _I approve’,_ without saying it in so many words.

 

“And I feel like I may be intruding. It was nice to speak with you frankly, Light Yagami. I look forward to speaking to you again some other time.”

 

Anxiety rushed in as Light watched Watari rise. He’d heard it plain enough, _I won’t help._ So then why were they here, and Light was now more exposed than ever? He was smiling and shaking hands with just another liability, watching them walk to the door and take secrets from him he wanted to yank back but couldn’t. He couldn’t shake the unsettled feeling weighing on him now; help or no help aside, he didn’t trust Watari to keep quiet, but perhaps it was just the newness of someone else knowing.

 

If he were being honest with himself, L had been hoping that Watari would agree to help fullstop, but as Light walked the older man to the door, he moved to settle onto the couch, mind already racing with the possibilities of using Watari’s rather _extensive_ network of spies and information hubs. _I can put a tail on Amane and keep track of every move she makes at all times, the information to be gleaned from that ALONE will be priceless for figuring out how to best deal with her._ He found himself biting at his fingernails in excitement at the thought of being able to access Watari’s deep net criminal databases. Information that was buried so deep, L had never been able to find it… but Watari could. And while that may have been a little more in line with Light’s master plan, L was sure Watari would come around soon enough, if he wasn’t already going to let them in through the back door. _This is potentially HUGE!_

 

Light’s hand shook on the doorknob as he shut it behind Watari, turning and not knowing what to say. It felt like a loss, but it was over now and the old man was gone. However, the bitterness lingered and he walked to the wet bar, looking for something to take the edge away. _Whiskey._ He poured himself a drink and knocked it back, turning around blankly.

 

L looked up with a grin as he heard Light approach, only for the expression to freeze on his face and then crumple as Light proceeded to walk right past him to the bar and knock back a drink. _That’s... not good._ The way the teen was looking at him as he turned around was… he didn’t know how to decipher that look, but it made his heart race uncomfortably. “Light? What’s… what did I miss?” _Why do I keep screwing things up?_ “What’s wrong?” _… DO I keep screwing things up?_

 

Light looked at L, but it wasn’t his fault, if anything he felt sorrier for L that Watari had said all that. What cold heart thinks of ‘‘saving someone the trouble’’ of love because of risk? Someone that doesn’t care if they love.

 

Standing up, L hovered in the middle of the room, unsure of what to _do_. Light wasn’t saying anything, and it seemed clear that something had deeply unsettled him, though it _wasn’t_ clear what that something _was._ “Did I... do something wrong?”

 

Light set his glass aside, smiling at L and walking over to guide him to sit on the couch. Shaking his head, “No, you didn’t do anything wrong.” He took L’s hand, leaning back on the couch to take in the vista from the floor to ceiling window in front of them. “That just could have gone better, is all. I just felt like…” Light hesitated because he wasn’t sure it was his place to say or comment on anything to do with L and Watari’s relationship, and might result in an even more uncomfortable situation, even a fight. Quieter, “...I got the feeling like he was considering you more as the _asset_ of L rather than as a person. And I didn’t like that. That’s all.” His eyes cut to L and back to the window, not really wanting to meddle but feeling protective in a different way. Protective of L’s autonomy and individuality, of L’s ability to live and thrive without the crutches from childhood that had directed his whole life. Light wondered whether Watari perhaps saw more in Light than just the danger of Kira, but also the possibility that Light’s relationship with L would take away something precious and useful.

 

 _The ASSET of L?_ Frowning, L clutched at Light’s hand, swallowing hard. That… he had never thought of it _that_ way before. “You… think he’s not treating me like a person?” he asked in a soft hush, thinking back over the conversation in the limo on the way over, and then again here. _He_ hadn’t seen any issues with the way the conversation had gone, but then… _he_ was used to being talked to and treated that way. He didn’t really _know_ any other way. “How so? I mean… which part do you mean?”

 

Light focused on the distant horizon, unable to help comparing L’s strange and troubled childhood with his own, with what any child should have had and deserved. “You know him better than I do. If you think it went well then I’ll trust that to be the case.” But he felt troubled anyway, and not for the ‘usefulness’ of Watari or even how safe he was. He just wondered how free L really was, and getting a glimpse not only into his odd upbringing but his current odd reality was something Light would have to think about and process as time went on.

 

L’s initial urge was to reject Light’s worries out of hand. After all, if Watari had taken him from that orphanage, then he had given him a home, and anything he could have ever wanted, hadn’t he? But something made him hesitate. Because if he didn’t trust Light’s judgement, he wouldn’t _be_ here in the first place, would he? And Light was very good at reading people, almost as good as L himself was, perhaps even better. Maybe… _Maybe I’m too close to see what he’s seeing._ But if that was the case… perhaps that meant that Watari _did_ , in fact, see him as merely a tool to be used and discarded. _Why would he start the successor program when I was only twelve years old?_ That thought sent an abrupt chill through him, and he went rigid beside Light, eyes wide and breath quickening.

 

The successor program. Not _all_ of the children at Wammy’s were _in_ the program, but it had only been in effect for twelve years. L could remember asking Watari when he had first suggested it why it was necessary; just because _he_ had chosen to become a detective at a young age didn’t mean anyone else should. He had wanted to help people who had been hurt, like _him_ , had enjoyed the challenge of solving puzzles others couldn’t. And he had only been able to _do_ it in the first place because Watari had a veritable fortune (which had been vastly increased by _L’s_ suggestions on how to manage his stocks, thank you), and an excess of time on his hands to create programs and tech and indulge a bored child in his whims. But he had been so good at what he did by the age of twelve that Watari had _insisted_ , had prattled on so long about the inevitability of putting himself at risk one day down the line, and the _importance_ of ‘leaving a legacy’ ( _I didn’t do it for any stupid legacy_ ), and blah blah blah (his eyes had pretty much glazed over by that point, because, being a preteen, he hadn’t _cared_ ), that he had eventually just thrown his hands up and said ‘fine’ to the whole thing. And the first group hadn’t turned out so well. _A, suicide. B, serial murderer. C and the others, no idea what happened to them, aside from all of them scrubbing out before or BY 18. They couldn’t handle the pressure of what I do, only I can._ But… was that really true? Could L really handle the pressure as well as he thought he could, or did even _he_ have a breaking point? And hadn’t he already admitted to Light that he was only going through the motions on this case because he had been hired to a side he hadn’t wanted to _be_ on? _Damn. Now I’m EXTREMELY glad I didn’t tell Watari about Ryuk._

 

“Maybe you’re right,” he whispered, wondering how he could have willfully ignored something that had been staring him right in the face for _years._ Something he had even sometimes been an active _participant_ in. It was the type of thing he did to others all the time, he recognized. He already knew that his social skills left a lot to be desired when it came to interacting with other people, and the earlier recognition of one of the contributing factors stung even more now. _Why did Watari never tell me I was being an idiot? Tell me to suck it up and get over myself? I had to learn that shit in a hurry at twenty-fucking-four._ “ _Fuck._ What do I do _now_?”

 

Light saw all the conflicted emotions flickering across L’s face and it almost made him sorry he’d said anything at all. _But wouldn’t it have been worse to see it and say nothing?_ He turned towards L on the couch, drawing him near and pulling him gently into his lap to wrap his arms around him. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you.”

 

He kissed L’s hair, laying his cheek on it as he went on in a soft voice. “Through all the interactions with him I just kept thinking...what would my father do? Because I know that even if he had reservations and worries, he would ultimately look to me and see how happy you made me. And past all his hang-ups about me being gay or worries about _anything,_ that my happiness would always be the most important thing because he loved me.” Light sighed, because Watari’s reaction had been so different from that. _And why?_ Watari hadn’t looked to L or asked or examined L’s state or emotions. Immediately Watari had focused on Light, the threat, and even after Light had been so open and honest, explaining why it wasn’t even logical that he would ever hurt L.

 

“L, do you think that my father would ever tell you to break things off with me, if he thought I was genuinely happy? If I had….for the first time in my life, the potential for someone to love me?” Light already knew the answer to that, but maybe L didn’t know his father as well. _He’s worked closely with him a long time, and he’s a very perceptive person, knows how relationships go especially since I was a suspect._ He stroked L’s hair, feeling supremely nervous now and knowing he was overstepping all boundaries, but somehow those seemed so blurred between them. Just like all the conventions for other people, their timetables and goal posts and little checkboxes...and what did those mean to Kira and L? “Because…” _Just say it coward._ “...because I do love you, and I think you must have known it when I told you who I was. Because that was the first time I gave you that choice.” _The choice that Watari wanted ME to make for us both, and that’s what was unfair._ “I gave you the knowledge and the risk and let you decide. But if you ever come to think like Watari does, and want to break it off, I wouldn’t ever hold that against you.” That was a painful thought but as selfish as he was, he wouldn’t want to bind anyone to his nebulous fate who didn’t want to be there, or who had doubts and fears.

 

 _Now what?_ As L curled into Light’s lap, trying like hell not to break down and cry, that question kept cycling in his head, in between every word that fell out of Light’s mouth, right up until he heard the words ‘I love you.’ And he froze. _He loves me?_ He could feel the telltale stinging of tears welling up as Light continued to speak. He _had_ technically known that Light loved him, in some capacity, it had been apparent in nearly every word and every touch and everything they had exchanged since Wednesday night, and Ryuk had confirmed as much, but much like with Light’s Kira confession... _knowing_ and hearing it spoken out loud were two different things, and he could do nothing but laugh wetly as he buried his face in Light’s chest, clutching his arms around the teen’s shoulders. _Now what? Now you tell him you’re never letting him go, you idiot_.

 

“Watari said…‘if I really wanted to protect you I’d break it off.’” Light felt deflated but he had to know. “Is that what we should do?” _Because I do want you to be safe, and it would destroy me from the inside out if something happened to you because of me._ Light felt L tense under his hands and for a moment he felt he’d said too much.

 

“Light,” L whispered, voice thick with emotion as he finally looked up, shifting until he was straddling Light’s lap instead of tugged across it like a child. Licking his lips nervously, L reached to frame Light’s face with his hands and looked him right in the eyes, well aware of the unwanted tears sliding down his cheeks… but he ignored them. “I may not be very good with people, but I _do_ know enough to see that… your father would want you to be happy.” He pressed a kiss to Light’s mouth, pulling away quickly as he stroked his thumbs across the teen’s cheeks, smiling shakily and sniffling. “Even if that happiness is with me, someone he doesn’t always like very much-” _if at all_ “- I cannot see him _ever_ telling me to break up with you.”

 

L’s laugh and the way he pressed into Light seemed happy, and there was no doubt when L raised his eyes to look into Light’s, all the emotion and turmoil Light was feeling reflected back to him like mirrors. Light smiled into the kiss, and there was some relief too that L agreed his father _would_ want for his happiness because one day he wanted to tell him. It gave him more confidence that when the time came it would go well.

 

Another wet laugh left him, and L leaned forward to wrap his arms around Light’s neck, laying his cheek against the teen’s shoulder. “I could never break things off with you.” He let out a sigh, whispering, “If I did _that_ , I might as well rip my heart out myself and burn the damn thing. Because I _love you.”_

 

Light leaned into L’s touch, his smile flickering as more tears formed in L’s eyes and overflowed them. He wanted to brush them away but he could see L trying to hide them and didn’t want to embarrass him in this already fragile moment. He touched L’s back softly as the man hid his face in Light’s shoulder, whispering words that made his own heart clench up and eyes prickle with tears. ‘ _I love you.’_ “L….” Light laughed softly, squeezing L tight against him as relief and joy flooded into him. He kissed L’s neck before releasing him, smiling and crying as L moved to look back at him.

 

L could feel Light’s reaction, and giggled, pulling back to look him in the eye again before saying, “Unless you want me out of your life, in the future… I don’t plan on letting you go. You’re stuck with me.” He turned away enough to try and dry his eyes surreptitiously, but gave it up as a lost cause and just kissed Light again, fingers instead curling around Light’s jaw affectionately. _He’s crying too, so it’s okay._

 

Only laughing harder now, “ _Stuck_ with you??” Light’s words were muffled into another kiss, but words weren’t needed now, _this_ was their understanding and so he just enjoyed it, not overthinking but instead feeling L’s love and care. After a moment, he pulled back for a breath, marveling at how he never, ever thought he could have something like this, and it felt like such a precious gift for someone to see _all_ of him and love him like that.

 

He let himself brush L’s tears away now, he was no less of a mess so it didn’t seem to matter. Tenderly, “I _want_ to be stuck with you, silly. I don’t want _anything_ to come between us. Only L can love Light Yagami, because only you understand me. There couldn’t be anyone else, so no, I don’t ever want you out of my life as long as you want to be there.”

 

L smiled, closing his eyes when Light started brushing his tears away, content to just listen to the gentle words Light spoke to him. If it had been any other situation but _this_ , he might have chafed at being called _silly_ , but the gentle affection behind the words only brought fresh tears to his eyes, and he giggled softly, nuzzling at Light’s hand before blinking them open again.

 

“I never thought I would _ever_ find anyone like you,” he whispered, throat tight as he dropped a kiss to the palm of Light’s hand. “Never thought anyone would ever _love_ me. I never..” _I thought I would die young, alone, untouched and unloved._ He stopped, taking a deep breath as emotion overwhelmed him, but then he continued, “I never knew how lonely I really was until _you._ And I didn’t… want to…  I didn’t want to need you as much as I do, but... you wanted me _back_. And I don’t _ever_ want to let you go.” It sounded saccharine to say it out loud, and a little bolder than he’d intended to be, (but honestly, he had _not_ seen it coming that they would be curled up on the couch spilling love confessions within a half hour of walking in the door, and) he couldn’t actually find it in himself to feel self-conscious about it. He just felt _happy_ to be saying all the things that Light had made him feel in just one short week. His own smile was shaky, but no less genuine or elated for that, and he swallowed past the lump in his throat before asking softly, “How does forever sound?”   


Light breathed, “Forever sounds perfect.” He gave L a brilliant, genuine smile, feeling happier than he ever had before. “Anyone who wants us to break it off can go to hell for all I care, as long as _you_ want me.”

  
At Light’s declaration, L found himself laughing, and he hugged Light again, pressing little kisses to his hair, neck and face now as he breathed, “Agreed.” _How in the hell did I ever get so lucky?_ “You are amazing, Light Yagami.” He paused and then laughed harder. “And this is _not_ the kind of sticky, wet mess I’d had in mind when we were making plans to get a room, but… I still like this.” _Forever it is, then_.

 

Light couldn’t stop smiling, because things were so easy and comfortable when it was just the two of them. He was eating up L’s affectionate kisses, giggling as they peppered his face. “Not the wet mess I expected either, but I’m not complaining. I’ve been wanting to tell you for a while, I just thought you’d get freaked out or that it was too soon.” He cupped L’s face in his hand, catching it before he could kiss him any more, “But that doesn’t matter, does it? Not for us.”

 

L pouted slightly when Light cupped his face, but he wasn’t really bothered, only pointed out softly, “I knew for a fact that I loved you the moment you nearly walked away from me, Light. I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t given me a second chance. And I almost said it before you started playing the piano…  I honestly don’t care what anyone else thinks. Nothing about what we’ve got is conventional.”

 

Light pressed a kiss to L’s lips, then scooted to lay down on the couch with L in his arms, just wanting to be comfortable and lazy for a few minutes. He played with L’s hair, stroking fingers through it, “My little sister would have been clapping and cheering, you know, she’s a sucker for love confessions in her soaps.” The thought made him giggle, and he felt a little silly now for always pointing out how things were never really that way in real life. _Jokes on me, sis._

 

L smiled as Light tugged him down against him, looping an arm around the teen’s side to press lightly against his back and nuzzling his nose against Light’s neck. “Do you believe in soulmates _now_ , Light?” L asked teasingly, eyes dancing with mirth and just enjoying the feeling of fingers running through his hair. “Because I fully believe in fate, now.” _I’ll have to tell him about all the ‘odd coincidences’ in a bit. I don’t want to give this comfortable interlude up just yet._

 

 _Did he believe in soulmates?_ Light knew he did in at least one instance. “Whatever I’ve managed to do to have fate, or whatever is happening here, smile on me so much, I guess I better keep it up.” He snuggled closer to L, enjoying how their bodies seemed to fit together so comfortably. “Although I have no clue what it is.”  

 

“Just keep being you,” L said softly, heart racing at the way Light snuggled into him. “Do... you think your family will like me? Your dad constantly seems annoyed by me.” His lips quirked up in a small smile and he murmured sheepishly, “Well… maybe that’s just because I’m immature and have suddenly decided in the last week that I’d rather sneak out to have sex than work on the case…”

 

“My whole family will love you, whenever you get to meet my mother and sister.” Light gave L a look like _yes even my Dad._ The idea of his Dad catching on to L sneaking around made Light laugh hard, because he hadn’t really thought about what was going on on L’s end of things. “Oh god, I hope he didn’t know _who_ you were sneaking off to see.” But he knew his parents were none the wiser or they’d have said something to him. Whispering, “And I bet when you were pretending to watch me on camera and thinking about what you’d done with _Kira_ , you kept getting hard didn’t you? Having to hide it from your team? Such a serious detective is L.” He chuckled into L’s hair, liking that mental image quite a lot. “You know it’s just going to be ten times _harder_ when I’m there to secretly flirt with you at every opportunity, right? Ahh, I can’t wait.”

 

It never failed to bring a smile to L’s face when Light teased him, and this time was no exception, even when Light started laughing at his description of work. “Oi, shut it, you have no _idea_ how difficult it was to hide my reactions to you,” he chuckled, shaking his head. “But it was just your father in the room with me when your family was being monitored, so that cut down on some of the awkwardness… on the other hand, he’s the one I should be trying to _impress_ , considering… So that might have backfired a little on me.” He blushed at that and grinned. At least Light was looking forward to spending the time with him as much as _he_ was. “And I honestly can’t wait, either. I’m going to make _so many_ bad jokes.”

 

Light sighed contentedly, idly wondering how Ryuk was getting along with Shinji. “Oh, I forgot to tell you I gave Ryuk a secret mission today. You probably saw him in the test room, right?” Mischief glittered in his eyes, “The kid he was standing next to was Shinji. I asked Ryuk to help him out a little on his exam so he’d pass, using my test. So Ryuk probably won’t join us until the afternoon.”

 

Carefully, L propped himself up on one elbow, looking down at Light with a surprised grin. “So _that’s_ what that was about. I wondered who the kid was, but didn’t have much time to think about it. Will I get to meet him at some point?”

 

Light nodded, “Yeah, he’ll be at the concert tomorrow too. I wasn’t planning on hanging around with him, but we’ll probably bump into each other at some point. I’ll introduce you if you want me to. He’s a pretty good guy, a little odd in his own right but we’ve been close since we were little kids.” Shinji wasn’t a genius, but he wasn’t so dumb to not put two and two together about Light showing up at a concert with a guy he’d never seen before. _I’ll have to think about that one. Maybe he’ll be wasted and won’t ask questions._

 

That made L grin. “Well, I won’t say no to meeting him tomorrow, but it can always be some other time. I just thought since he’s important to you, I’d like to meet him at some point, is all, since I missed a chance to possibly meet him before the exam.” That probably wouldn’t have happened in the first place, how would Light have even introduced him? ‘This is my new study buddy, Ryuzaki,’ probably, but still.

 

Light gave L a faux-serious look, “In fact...the reason you were able to jump up and hand in your test first was because Ryuk was memorizing mine for Shinji.” He grinned and nipped at L’s lips, “You brat. You _know_ you’ll be paying for that later, don’t you?” _I bet you did it on purpose._

  
L’s eyebrows shot up at Light’s pretend seriousness, and he giggled. “What, Light Yagami can’t let someone else hand in their test first? You handed it in at basically the same time, it’s fine, right?” He tried to look innocent, but the way Light nipped at his lips, and his own competitive streak just meant that he couldn’t keep it up, and he sank back down to his side, pressing against Light and murmuring, “I was _hoping_ you would say that. I’m _so_ looking forward to it.” _But maybe after we get something to eat and relax a little._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Light and Soichiro’s aliases in canon were Light Asahi and Yonjuro Asahi, so that’s what L was referring to when he mentioned they could share the alias.  
> Light is playing this song on the piano when Watari walks in: ‘Alone’ written by Marshmello and composed for piano by Rousseau (https://youtu.be/ZxfJNaycx50)  
> The ‘quiet, melancholy song’ L plays while Light and Watari are speaking is Lost In Paradise by Evanescence (https://youtu.be/CKAclaglg5g)


	28. Feed Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Light can’t help but tease L relentlessly. The boys go through the smutty contents of their backpacks, making things heat up fast.

L nuzzled his nose into Light’s neck, mouth already open to say something when his stomach grumbled loudly. A slightly embarrassed laugh left him at that and he sat up reluctantly, saying, “Ugh, I think we’ll have to postpone my ‘ _punishment’_ , my stomach is saying ‘feed me, Seymour’.” The reference slipped out before he could put a pin in it, and he grinned sheepishly to himself. _No way would he get that reference.._.  “I’ve still got some Pocky, but do you want to get something to eat? It’s probably close to lunchtime now.”

 

Light hummed to hear that L was looking forward to _paying_ for his brattiness, but before he could respond, L’s stomach grumbling loudly made him grin. “Should of known it. Yeah, let’s order something. I still want to hear about how babysitting Ryuk went yesterday too.”

 

 _Should have known?_ Snorting, L poked Light in the side and whined, “I can’t help it, I’m always hungry. You always seem to take a lot out of me. Room service, or check out one of the restaurants?” Pausing, he answered himself. “Actually, no, never mind, if you want to hear about my adventures in babysitting, we’ll _need_ to stay in. I probably forgot some important questions, but I got sidetracked by a _lot_ of interesting things.”

 

“Staying in sounds marvelous. Room service, definitely.” Light kissed L’s lips and sat up, stretching a little as he smiled and looked around the room. “I can’t get over how amazing this hotel is. Can’t we move the Task Force here instead?” He stuck his lip out in a little pout and turned to L. “Wherever you are now, the food and rooms can’t be half so nice.”

 

Giggling, L refrained from commenting, smirk still firmly in place as he arched an eyebrow at Light. _It’s DEFINITELY not as nice as the Hyatt. Is he angling to stay in this suite with me if I move us here?_ The thought of having Light to himself every night, instead of only when they could sneak off, was _quite_ an enticing thought, and his breath caught. _How do I make that happen?_

 

Light stood up and walked over to the breakfast bar, picking up the room service menu. “Although I’d love to check out one of the restaurants later tonight for dinner.” He gave L a warm smile, “One of these days I’ll have a real job and can take _you_ out.” But that wasn’t today, and he was still just a broke student.

 

L watched as Light walked over to the breakfast bar, forcing himself to focus on the here and now before declaring with a smile, “Then we’re going out for dinner. You’ve already got the perfect outfit. You can even choose the restaurant if you like.” _Speaking of outfits…_ “So are you planning on dressing up for the _show_ , then, too?”

 

Light’s face scrunched up a little and he laughed nervously, L hadn’t ever seen that side of him before. “Uh...well I usually do, just because it’s nice to be unrecognizable for a while and just have fun.” _Would he be embarrassed to be seen with me? He isn’t exactly a wild dresser._ “One of the only tolerable things about having Misa around...other than her shinigami eyes...was that she practically filled my closet with all the weird clothes I wanted when she came back from modeling jobs. My parents think its just a phase and it probably is but….” He turned to L and grinned, “I’ll show you what I brought to wear tomorrow if you promise not to laugh. I can have Ryuk go get something else if you hate it.” Light’s style when he didn’t have to play the role of the preppy perfect student was somewhere between Misa’s gothic lolita style and visual-kei, and he’s always loved watching people in Harajuku whose outfits were both inspired kaleidoscopic art and futuristic messes. Misa had actually tried to get him into modeling a few times given his looks but he’d always turned it down flat. He dressed up for fun and stress relief, not to be paid, and still had a love-hate relationship with people staring at him.   

 

Hearing that Light had a bunch of weird clothes in his closet was news to L, and he perked up a bit. _There was no commentary from Wedy, that’s a little surprising, she usually likes to comment on interesting tidbits like that. Maybe it’s not her taste._ With a smirk, he said wryly, “This makes it sound like it’s a bunch of bondage-y emo clothes. Parents usually hate that. Watari certainly hated _my_ rebellious phase.” _Short-lived as it was. If he’s dressing up, maybe I should dig my old boots out of the back of the closet._ “If it’s anything like that, I’m sure I _won’t_ hate it. Would you show me?”

 

Light snorted a laugh, “A bunch of bondage-y emo clothes….well, that’s not too far off the mark.” Light’s style when he didn’t have to play the role of preppy perfect student was somewhere between Misa’s gothic lolita style and visual-kei, and he’s always loved watching people in Harajuku whose outfits were both inspired kaleidoscopic art and futuristic messes. Misa had actually tried to get him into modeling a few times given his looks but he’d always turned it down flat. He dressed up for fun and stress relief, not to be paid, and still had a love-hate relationship with people staring at him. He grinned, “I’ll show you what I brought to wear tomorrow if you promise not to laugh. I can have Ryuk go get something else if you hate it.”

 

Leafing through the menu, he saw they had chirashi sushi, one of his favorite things. Pulling a notepad close, he scribbled down what he wanted as well as what they’d need to have on hand for when Ryuk came back: _chirashi sushi, tiramisu, apple soda (2 liters), a dozen apples._ “So you had a rebellious phase?” He walked over to L and handed him the menu, leaning down to press a kiss to L’s neck, “I rather thought you were currently in one. Oh, and I promised Ryuk apple soda for helping Shinji out today.” A wry smile, “Now I wonder who introduced him to that, _Lawli?”_

 

Taking the menu, L blushed at Light’s teasing, flipping through it idly and scanning for anything that popped out at him. “I mean… I guess this is a different type of rebellion,” he said with a shrug, squirming happily at the kiss Light gave him. “My _teenage_ rebellion didn’t really last long, but I wore a few funky things. Nothing overly outlandish. Actually, the only holdover that I really have from that is the jacket I’m always wearing. I think it’s about six years old.” _And holding up well, considering I wear it everywhere. And I DO still have those boots... and a couple of band shirts. I guess I bought more clothes during that phase than I realized._ L frowned down at the menu; there was nothing that really appealed to him right that moment. _Maybe just snacky food, then._

 

“Is that the order list over there?” L asked, nibbling on a fingernail as he considered the options before him. “Because if it is, get the mixed fruit plate and the cheese plate. Gives us something to nibble on through the day. And….” _Ugh, I SHOULD eat something a little more substantial, though, or I’m just going to be hungry all afternoon._ L studied the menu for another moment before nodding. “I think... the stir-fried noodles with chicken. Unless you want _me_ to place the order,” he asked, glancing up at Light with a smile.

 

As L perused the menu, Light went over to his backpack, digging through the copious amounts of porn to pull out the clothes he had been intending to wear. _No wonder this backpack was so heavy, I stuffed it to the gills._ There were fingerless vinyl gloves and a vinyl and leather top ( _could you call this a shirt? Not really_ ), with mesh inserts on either side of his stomach. On top of that was another short cape that draped over his shoulders and had a high neck. The pants were really ostentatious if the other parts weren’t bad enough--grommeted leather and lots of straps that definitely qualified as ‘bondagey emo.’ He smiled sheepishly and flung the clothes over the back of the couch, “ _Sure_ you want to be seen with me in this?” It was a far cry from what he was wearing now and slutty as all hell, which was of course exactly why he loved it.

 

He blushed and turned away before he could see L’s reaction, picking up the notepad to scribble down what L wanted to eat. Still trying to distract himself from his flushed embarrassment, he walked to the window with the cordless hotel phone, placing in the order. _30 minutes. We have to behave for at least that much time else somebody’s going to the door naked again._

 

L heard something slap across the back of the couch as he stood up, and he glanced over with a frown, only to see Light retreating. He could do nothing but stare at the outfit that was flung across the couch, and then at Light, standing at the window now with the sun shining in behind him, mouth suddenly dry as he visualized the clothes on the teen. _Holy shit, he’s going to look fucking incredible in that_. Swallowing hard, he took the menu back over to the breakfast bar and turned to look back at the teen, adopting an innocent look and tone. “And I have _no_ idea where Ryuk could have acquired a taste for apple soda, Light, what are you implying?”

 

Light hung up the phone, but his fingers stalled as he placed it back in the holster. An eyebrow shot up, “Oh? So you really have _no_ clue who gave my shinigami a new addiction, given we’re the only two people who can see him?” He shook his head and giggled, walking up behind L at the counter and embracing him from behind. His voice went lower as he traced his lips against L’s neck, “You aren’t a bad liar, but you never could fool me, _Lawli_.” He drawled the last word murmuring it into L’s skin and giving his neck a teasing lick.

 

The tone Light was using sent a thrill through L, and he quickly turned away to straighten the menu, blushing heavily as he heard Light come up behind him. He shivered a little when he felt Light’s arms wrap around him, letting out an unsteady breath when he felt those lips tracing against his neck. _How much of a wait do we…_ He couldn’t help but gasp as Light licked his neck, teasingly drawing out that silly nickname. ‘Lawli.’

 

Light’s hands moved to encircle L’s wrists and he brought them up to press on top of the bar in front of them, holding them immobile. “You’re only just adding to your punishments, you know.” Pretending to be slightly pissed, but a hint of teasing in his voice, “Lying to Kira is a very grave sin. Who knows what he’ll do when he finally has you in his evil clutches?” Light released him and stepped back, grinning as he went to gather his clothes and go hang them up in the closet.

 

The way Light spoke, and the way he pressed L’s hands against the countertop… The only way it would have been any _hotter_ was if they had both been naked, or Light was pressing him into the counter. As it was, L was breathing heavily and _very_ aware of his pulse throbbing through his body as Light pulled away, and he stayed where he was for a long moment, eyes wide as he tried to decide if the _teasing_ was supposed to be the punishment, or if Light was planning on ‘punishing’ him more later.

 

“So... I take it you like the nickname Ryuk bestowed on me,” he called after a moment, finally straightening up and pushing slowly away from the counter. _I didn’t think I would like hearing anyone call me that._

 

Light pretended not to notice L’s reaction although it certainly gave him a sense of smug satisfaction. “Yes, I actually _do_ like the nickname. When Ryuk first said it, I almost choked, but it’s grown on me.” He gave L an amused but sympathetic look, “I’m sure you’re very annoyed, but it’s just his silly way of being friendly.” Light had given up trying to insist Ryuk not call him ‘Light-o,’ but the shinigami just did whatever he wanted to do as usual. “Oh, and about 30 minutes until the food arrives.”

 

L couldn’t help but feel slightly deflated by the 30 minute wait time. _30 minutes of having to try not to think about Light doing naughty things to me._ “Actually, I kind of figured out quickly that he didn’t mean it in an antagonistic way. It just… sounds like a nickname I would have liked when I was five. I don’t hate it.” He took a deep breath and went to the fridge to see what was in there. _Ooh, more champagne._ Glancing over at Light, he hesitated and then grabbed it and a couple of bottles of water ( _damn, this suite even has the fancy water_ ), walking over and placing everything on the table by the couch.

 

After hanging up his clothes and stowing his backpack in the closet, Light took out his phone and lounged back on the couch. “I just remembered there was something I was dying to show you!” He held out a hand for L to come over and sit with him, pulling him close and holding his phone where they could both see it. He smiled, speaking softly and tenderly again, “Thank you for replacing my phone by the way. That was an unexpected treat, although I don’t know how Ryuk didn’t manage to break it given how _careful_ he usually is.” He winced remembering the formerly intact game controllers that had been accidentally smashed in the shinigami’s huge paws while playing Mario Kart.

 

Smiling, L said in a quiet voice, “Oh… you’re welcome. And… I told him that if he was extra careful, I would get him something special next time I saw him. It’s stashed in my bag. I figured that might be incentive enough for him to carry around a fragile piece of tech.” Giggling, he gave Light an innocent look before sticking out his tongue. “Toffee apple. _Don’t_ tell me I’m a bad influence.”

 

Light scrolled through his saved videos to the viral one of Truize falling off the balcony, already giggling before he’d even pressed play. “Get a load of this.” The dramatic build-up in both the music and the editing, following Truize shuffling onto his balcony with his pants around his ankles, made it ten times funnier (to him at least) and there were many unnecessary but hilarious close-ups of ‘parts’ that certainly needed a zoom lens to see. Light was cackling madly as Truize started to rant at the paparazzi below, whatever dreck he was saying thankfully drowned out by the music, and when the celebrity tripped over his downed pants, the video switched to slow motion, capturing every flail and ugly facial expression as the photographers scattered beneath him. Light was in tears by the end of it, shoulders shaking with giggles as he leaned his head on L’s arm. “Oh god….L, we need to write more deaths like this and start a YouTube channel for people making viral memes of our ‘work.’”

 

Light’s reaction made L grin, and he leaned in close to see what the fuss was about. The dramatic video at first just made him giggle, but it was _so_ over the top and hilarious that by the end of it, L was stamping his feet on the couch, full on cackling and _wheezing_ as he held his stomach. “ _Holy. Shit,”_ he wheezed, trying in vain to stop laughing. “ _My sides hurt_ , this is the best thing I’ve ever _seen!_ ” For a moment, he quieted down, thinking about the idea of writing more like this one, and then a wicked grin split his face and he was back to cackling. “Yes! That is a great idea - this has been the gift that just keeps on _giving_.” He finally quieted, draping an arm easily around Light’s shoulders before kissing the corner of his mouth. “Thank you for that, Light.”

 

Wheezing softly, “I know... amazing. I’m favoriting that one right now.” Light finally wiped the tears away, leaning into L and nodding, “Of course, and if there’s anybody else you have in mind, just let me know.” He whispered in L’s ear, “I brought the death note with me. I want to show that to you too. _Later._ ”

 

“I think I can think of a few who qualify,” L said smugly, trying not to make it too obvious that Light’s promise of _later_ had sent a pleasant chill down his spine. _I wonder what his plan is for when he shows me._

 

Light got up and pocketed his phone, thinking that he’d better come up with something wholesome for them to do for the next 20 minutes before the food arrived. Gravitating back to the piano, he plunked a few notes and turned his head, “How about you play for me? I wasn’t really paying attention very well before when Watari was here.” His smile flickered slightly remembering that, but he shoved it out of his mind. _No fucking way some Alfred Pennyworth wannabe is going to ruin my fun._ “We have a little time to kill.” _I’d rather bend you over this piano but that will have to wait until we’ve eaten something._

 

L had to stay where he was for a moment when Light got up, trying to will away the hormones. It was difficult now to think of anything _else_ when Light was constantly going around whispering teasing promises in his ear or otherwise pushing all of his buttons. _Music. He wants to hear me play. I can do that._ “Did you… want to hear the song I was playing earlier? I was purposely trying to play it soft, I didn’t want to distract you.” L smiled, a little ruefully, and came over to trail his fingers along the keys, marveling to himself for the moment. To think, if he had just stuck with playing, he might have ended up playing a piano like this for the _Queen_. Snorting softly, he murmured, “Though I suppose you might have preferred I distract you, now.”

 

Light smiled and nodded, “I didn’t get to really appreciate it then, so please do.”

 

L leaned over to play the opening chords, then stopped and looked at Light questioningly as he moved to sit on the bench. _I don’t know if I remember how to play this whole song._ The smile on Light’s face was all the encouragement he needed, and he smiled back briefly before turning to focus on the keys. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, bowing his head in concentration as he started to play. _Will he recognize it? Does he even listen to Evanescence enough to recognize it?_

 

Light stood behind L, watching his hands at first as he began, long fingers that were perfect for the instrument. After a moment, he closed his eyes and just listened, thinking that L wasn’t really rusty at all and was just being hypercritical.

 

As the song wound down, L found himself unintentionally humming the melody under his breath, and let the music fade away, glancing to the side with flushed cheeks. “It’s been a long time since I’ve played that,” he said softly.

 

Light leaned down to drape his arms around L when he was finished, pressing a kiss to his cheek. “Evanescence, right? I haven’t heard that song in forever, but I liked it. And like it more now, after that. You play beautifully.”

 

The fact that Light _did_ recognize the song, _and_ liked his playing, was a huge source of comfort and delight for L, even if all he could think of was the mistakes he’d made while playing. _He can’t mean it when he said he liked it BETTER than the song, can he?_

 

Light looked towards the door as he heard a soft chime, saying a little silent thanks for their speediness in his mind. Back to L, “Did you promise them some huge tip when I wasn’t looking?” He was joking of course, but it was very nice that it was early. He went to the door and opened it, and the hotel worker on the other side only gave him a respectful nod. _Oh, I like these fancy hotels when they know better than to give any shits about the guests._

 

L smiled to himself as he watched Light hurry to answer the door. Still… he ran his hands over the keys, unable to stop himself from tearing up slightly. God, he had missed playing so much, he hadn’t even _realized_ how much.

 

“Thanks for bringing it so fast.” Light stepped aside as the man wheeled in the cart, gave a short bow, and was back out the door without even a word or a glance around. Although they _were_ both decent this time, and luckily he hadn’t left his slutty outfit lying around.

 

He peeked under the covered dishes, humming happily when he saw his sushi. “Holy shit! This looks incredible.” Grinning, he picked up the tray and set it on the low table in front of the couch. “I suppose I could be a proper human being and eat at the dinner table, but…” He just trailed off with a shrug. The kid in him still liked to eat on the most comfortable surface available, and this couch was exactly that. Looking up to L, “Have you ever had sushi before?” The presentation, with the fish arranged so beautifully and vegetables cut like flowers and stars, was so pretty L had to appreciate it even if he didn’t like the fish itself.

 

“Later,” L whispered, climbing down from the bench and making his way over to the cart to grab the fruit tray and his noodles, moving to sit beside Light on the couch. “Oh, that _does_ look good,” L said in surprise when he looked over at Light’s sushi, setting the fruit tray on the table beside it. “I’ve tried sushi before, but I’ve never had it prepared like _that_ before.” He looked up at Light, giggling slightly at the thought that immediately went through his mind. _No, you are not going to take a picture of his sushi, don’t be one of THOSE people._

 

The sushi was so beautiful it was almost a shame to eat it, but Light was quite hungry and even moreso now looking at the beautiful food. He picked up his chopsticks and set about delicately deconstructing the arrangement, trying a bit of everything and ignoring the soy sauce which was too salty for his tastes. “I’ll assume that since you didn’t ask for any, that sushi isn’t really your thing. But you’re welcome to try anything if you like.” Light had the hunch that gentle nudges to get L to eat healthily might work, but he mostly approved of the noodles and definitely of the fruit and cheese. _And he didn’t even order anything sweet._ Light had ordered the tiramisu in case they got hungry later, and it was a very large piece that perhaps even L would share with him. _With the proper motivation, or placement._

 

L began eating, slouching down with the stir fry dish resting on his stomach. With his mouth half full, he pointed at the artfully arranged salmon. “I like that.” He glanced up at Light and smiled, swallowing the mouthful down and adding, “Salmon is my favourite. I don’t tend to like a lot of the other ingredients.” _I should have at least gotten him to ask what kind of sherbet they have. I’ll get some later._ “Besides, that’s _your_ lunch, you don’t have to share.” He sat up a little, turning away and giggling as he shook his head. “Got any music on your phone? Mine doesn’t have the music player function, I need to get it updated.” Without waiting for an answer, he reached out with his chopsticks to pluck a piece of musk melon off the fruit plate and pop it into his mouth, chewing as he shifted to sit cross-legged.

 

Light looked up, “Yes, I had all my songs on my computer so I transferred them to the new phone last night.” Murmuring around his chopsticks with a smile, “Although I’m surprised I found the time to do it.” He ate another bite and set the utensils aside, pulling out his phone. “Did you want to hear anything in particular? I’ve got everything by the band we’re going to hear tomorrow, or I can let you hear my current favorite song.”

 

L couldn’t help but giggle at Light’s suggestive comment, and he asked wryly, “Why? Because you were too busy getting off to dirty texts from your boyfriend?” Another piece of fruit went into his mouth as he smirked, and when Light asked for requests, he just shrugged and shook his head. He didn’t care, he just wanted something to do or listen to while they ate. “Whatever you have on there is fine, Light, I like what you’ve introduced me to so far.”

 

That brought a grin to Light’s face and he laughed mischievously. “Alright, maybe you’ll like this too.” He stood up and slotted his phone into the Bose speakers that doubled as a stereo, scrolling to the song he’d been listening to this morning while getting ready for school, ‘We Appreciate Power’ by Grimes. He pressed play and sat back down to his meal, thinking it wasn’t exactly dinner music, but oh well.

 

The grin on Light’s face when he brought up the song made L feel slightly concerned, but he just snickered, shoveling in another mouthful of noodles while Light set up his music. The industrial track reminded him a little of Nine Inch Nails, and the opening lyrics made his eyebrows shoot up. _What is this, Kylie Minogue meets Nine Inch Nails?_ Lowering the chopsticks, he listened intently to the song, eyes closed. The line, ‘ _What will it take to make you capitulate?_ ’ immediately made him sit up straight, eyes widening at the thrill of arousal that went through him. _Holy shit. This is actually really…_ Partway through the song, he had to comment in a somewhat breathless voice, “Light. This isn’t fair.” Glancing over with heavy-lidded eyes, he pouted, trying not to squirm. “Now you’re just trying to tease the hell out of me. Either let me eat, or stop teasing and just _do_ whatever it is you want to do.”

 

The smug little smile playing on Light’s lips stayed put as he continued to eat his sushi. _Seems like he likes it too._ Innocently, “Tease you? All I did was play a song. That’s very uncharitable of you, L, after I even asked you for your preferences first.” _Isn’t it obvious I like playing with my prey before devouring them?_ He stood up and walked to his phone, switching it over to IAMX instead. “Here’s another band I like, maybe you’ll like this a little better?” He turned it up a little louder, going back to sit beside L and pretending to be quite interested in a small piece of tuna carved into the shape of a fish. Holding it up between chopsticks, he showed it to L. “Isn’t this adorable?” It was hard for him not to giggle at the look on L’s face but he managed to do it, biting the head off the little fish before eating the rest.

 

L stared at Light as he walked back to the couch, and when the teen showed him the little piece of tuna, L could only shake his head, trying not to laugh at the commentary. _This song is not helping matters either, Light. He’s torturing me on purpose._ He listened for a moment, but this song wasn’t making his arousal any _worse_ , so there was really nothing to do but finish eating, settling back into the couch and tossing Light an amused sidelong glance.

 

Light reached for his water, sipping some before setting his finished sushi aside. “Wow, that was delicious.” He had already taken his shoes off upon entering the suite by force of habit and custom, and toed his socks off too to get more comfortable. “Oh, you never did tell me what you thought of the outfit I plan to wear tomorrow.” Biting the inside of his mouth, he turned and laid back away from L, lounging as he brought his foot up a little under L’s jeans leg. “Think it’s too much? Wouldn’t want you to run away screaming in horror and leave me at the concert all alone.” He made a fake pouty face which was only there for a moment before breaking into a grin.

 

L nearly choked when Light brought up his concert outfit again, and he had to set the noodles aside, coughing and sputtering as he reached for his drink, eyes watering. Once he was able to breathe normally again, he turned to stare at Light with wide eyes, looking him over as he once again saw him wearing it in his mind. “I…” _He just wants to hear me say I like it._ Breathlessly, “You’re going to look fucking incredible in that outfit, and you _know_ it. I might not be able to keep my hands off you.” It was true, too. It looked trashy as all hell on the hanger, and L was certain _he_ would look utterly ridiculous if he tried to wear it, but Light could make it work for him. And the way Light was teasing him with that mental image, and rubbing his toes up under his jeans, was making it difficult to think of anything else but how hot it was becoming in this room, and how much he just wanted to break out the goodies they had each brought. “ _I’m_ going to be the one who looks ridiculous, I don’t have anything cool like that to wear.” _At least not here._

 

Light gave L a gratified smile at the praise, feeling excited to wear it now. “I have plenty of things you can borrow if you do want to dress up a little.” He brought a thumb to his lips, tilting his head as he mentally ran through his wardrobe and imagining what L would like. “Hmm, whenever Ryuk gets here I can have him raid my closet, bring something back for you. But it’s perfectly fine if you want to just dress normally too. Plenty of people will.” In particular, he was envisioning L in a black crop top he had and some tripp pants, but it might be too slutty for him. _I’ll have Ryuk bring that as well as some normal band tees._ “It would be fun to dress you, like my living doll.” He crawled over to L, who was still picking at his noodles, taking the plate and setting it aside. _You’ve had enough damn time to eat._ “And then undress you later?” He played with the hem of L’s t-shirt, twirling it in his fingers as he pressed a kiss to his shoulder. Quieter, “How about you go get your backpack while I brush my teeth? I’ll show you mine if you show me yours.”

 

 _He wants to see me in his clothes?_ L grinned at the thought, shivering as Light crawled over to him; that whisper about dressing, and undressing him _like a living doll_ went right through him, and he bit his lip to stifle a whimper. “ _Fuck_ yes,” he whispered back, squirming and reaching for Light, only to drop his hand with an eager nod when the teen pulled away. “I thought you’d never ask,” he said with a giggle, scrambling up off the couch when Light went off to the bathroom. He was sure Light would like at least some of the things he’d picked up, _especially_ now, considering that _outfit_ , but it was still a little bit nerve-wracking to rummage through each item and wonder.

 

Light giggled and headed into the bathroom where there were courtesy items like extra toothbrushes and soaps and _oh, that massage oil again._ That brought back pleasant memories, his pants getting a little tighter as he brushed the taste of sushi out of his mouth. He drank some water after he brushed, examining himself in the mirror and making sure he looked as hot as he already knew he did before going back into where L was. His backpack was in the closet and he got it out now, bringing it over to the couch and wondering what to show L first. _Hmm, maybe the porn, and see if he really does run away in terror, heh._ He gave L a devious look and pulled out a fat stack of his spank bank, the tamer ones first like the kinbaku book and some tasteful monochrome photography of male nudes. Light found porn that wasn’t at least _trying_ to be artful a bit of a turn-off, and appreciated aesthetics as much as eroticism. But there was definitely an undercurrent to most of what he liked, he thought with a grin-- an appreciation of power. _Maybe I’ll put that Grimes song back on in a minute._

 

The snacks L had bought came out immediately and were tossed up onto the table beside the dishes and the unopened bottle of champagne, and he paused in his rummaging to snag a chunk of pineapple, chewing as he rearranged everything else in his bag, putting the rope on top. He hadn’t necessarily planned a big ‘reveal’, but he _did_ have a suspicion Light would appreciate some sort of order to his presentation, so… As he waited, L found himself curious again what all Light had _brought_ , considering his bag had been so heavy. _He had that outfit stuff in there, along with the gag, and presumably some of his porn collection, but what the heck else could he have in there?_ He was just getting up off the couch again, meaning to take a peek into Light’s bag when the teen called out from the bathroom.

 

“No peeking in my backpack until I get in there!”

 

“Um… why would I do _that_ ?” L called back, immediately sitting back down, a blush on his cheeks as he fidgeted. _I guess he really DOES know me well already._

 

His face was still slightly pink when Light came back in and retrieved his backpack, and L snickered a little, setting aside the water bottle and sitting up a little straighter. He pointed at the book on top, “That must be the one with the pictures you sent me last night.” Scooting a little closer, he said in a softer, more suggestive tone, “I’d like to see more.” _Yes, please show me what you want to do to me._

 

Light grinned when L recognized the book, “Uh huh, and here’s the picture I sent you.” He flipped to it, showing it in more detail with a description of how to work the intricate knots and loops. He scooted around behind L on the couch, looking over his shoulder. “I know how to do this one, it’s not all that complicated.” He flipped to some of the more advanced ones, knotted formations over the whole body that rendered someone completely immobile or even suspended. “A little more tricky…we should start with something simple.”

 

L found himself staring at some of the more elaborate pictures in awe, one of the suspension ones in particular, hyper-aware of Light’s hot presence at his back. _I wonder how comfortable that even is… Would I be willing to try that out?_ “Yeah, I’d rather be as comfortable as possible, I don’t think I would be into too _much_ pain with my sex.” He paused, swallowing hard and casting a sidelong glance to Light, remembering the offer he’d made the night before. _I’ll have to play it by ear whether or not I chicken out of THAT._ “I’d rather save that for other experiences.” _I DID say I was down to try anything once._

 

“And… as you requested.” He didn’t need Light to tell him this time, reaching into his own backpack and pulling out one of the bundles of rope he’d purchased that morning - before he’d gone to sleep, he’d spent some time doing research on the best type of rope to use for what Light had shown him, and he had been _elated_ to see that he could buy the cotton rope in different colours. He’d gone for the dark grey this time, just for the pure aesthetic. “There’s more in my bag, I didn’t know how much we would need or want.”

 

Light hummed with satisfaction when L handed him the rope he’d bought, immediately unwrapping it in his hands to test the strength and softness of it. “Good choice. Silk or bamboo fibers won’t chafe the skin; you _don’t_ want to use something scratchy like jute or rough nylon.” He paused, laughing quietly, “Well, I mean some people do, if they like that kind of thing.” But this would be comfortable and still have a lot of tensile strength in case L...struggled.

 

He set the rope down and reached into his backpack and pulled out the gag he’d bought, dangling it in front of L’s face. “Excited to see it in person?” It was a black leather ball gag where the rubber ball was perforated with a few holes so someone could still breathe. _And drool, hm._  

 

L’s gaze snapped forward again when Light pulled out the ball gag, and he licked his lips, heart racing as he reached for it. “ _Yes_ ,” he whispered emphatically. “I can’t _wait_ to wear it.” _I don’t WANT to wait, is more accurate_ , he thought.

 

Light reached back into his bag for some of his more wild porn, this time a magazine of a dom slowly introducing a sub to more and more bondage and positions. He flipped to the middle where the sub was wearing a similar ball gag, murmuring, “It’s going to look so hot on you, and the holes mean I can still hear you.” He grinned into L’s neck, giving it a soft bite. He let L take the gag to play with but gave him a warning, “Feel free to look at it, but I’ll be putting it on you.” Light had another surprise but he was curious now what else _L_ had hinted he’d brought. “So what else did you bring, hmm?”

 

Squirming at that soft bite to his neck and grateful when Light let him have it, L whimpered slightly at the way Light was teasing him, looking between the gag in his hands and the picture with a grin spreading slowly across his lips. _Soon. It will be worth the wait, be patient._ The advice was still easier said than done. L took a deep breath and let it out shakily, reaching into his bag again and pulling out a wide black satin blindfold. “I wasn’t sure how you’d feel about a blindfold, but… I couldn’t resist.”

 

All of L’s little squirms of anticipation were making Light excited, and he pressed up against him so L could feel for himself the effect all this was having on him. His eyes went wide when L pulled the blindfold out, taking it and stroking it between his fingers. “Mmmm. Not bad. I think we can have some fun with this.” Pouting slightly, “But how will you be able to see me with this on?” Still, it might be amusing to use it to tease L even more, keeping him from knowing what Light was doing or where the next sensation was going to come from. And if he got tired of it he could just use it for some other purpose. That idea made him grin.

 

“We don’t _have_ to use the blindfold for anything,” L said breathlessly, pressing back against Light and closing his eyes, enjoying the evidence that Light was getting turned on by this as well. “It was…  just something I picked up on a whim.” _Just like the collars._ He reached in again to pull out a wide collar, black leather with an O ring, and a simple stud design. Giggling, he confessed, “And this just reminded me of the Batman logo, a little.” _Should I tell him?_ “And of the collar I… uh, used to wear. Thought maybe you’d… either want to wear it, or see it on _me_.” L was pretty sure that the way he swallowed hard at that was a pretty clear telegraph that he would _like_ to be the one wearing the collar.

 

The smirk was wiped right off Light’s face when L pulled out _a collar_. He whispered quietly, “Oh fuck…” and dropped the blindfold to take it. Unable to hide his surprise, “You used to wear a _collar?_ Like this?!” He let out a little groan of arousal, sliding an arm around L’s waist under his shirt to draw him closer. “I have _got_ to see some pictures of this rebellious phase.” Voice going lower, “I suppose I would have been too young to appreciate it, but I’d rip you to pieces if I saw you in something like this now.” _You’ll see._ He turned it over in his hands, hissing between his teeth as he unbuckled it. “Oh, you’ll _definitely_ be the one wearing it.”

 

The elation that went through L when Light declared, ‘ _You’ll be the one wearing it_ ,’ made L’s body clench, that groan sending a spike of desire right through him and making him throb. _Holy shit. I was right, but you haven’t seen the other collar yet._ “The one I had back then was much thinner, but a similar design,” he whispered, voice shaky and the muscles of his stomach clenching pleasantly under Light’s hand as Light tugged him closer. God, did he want to turn around right now and tug Light down on top of him. L wasn’t sure if he hoped that Light _would_ or _wouldn’t_ hear the lie in his voice when he said, “There aren’t any more pictures, I deleted them from the internet when I thought I might be… in danger from Kira.” _But they’re saved somewhere. Either my laptop or that hard drive._

 

Light wanted to put that collar around L’s neck _right now_ , but remembered he had one more present. Blinking, he put the collar on the couch and took out the last thing L’s extra “train fare” had been able to buy. It was a chrome butt plug, flared at the base but had two functions beyond just looking interesting. “I wasn’t really sure if you’d like this, but….” He dropped it into L’s hands, letting him feel the weight and smooth metal. “It vibrates and...does something else.” He giggled softly, wondering if L would like the idea of small electric shocks. “Electrostim. I promise it’s not as bad as it sounds. I hear it can be pretty intensely pleasurable.” He wouldn’t tell L it was remotely controlled, quite yet.

 

L looked down at the heavy metal object in his hand, and his mouth went dry. _Oh shit._ “It has electro… s-stim?” Eyes widening, L glanced back. “I’ve heard that too. I kind of wanted to try it, but I was too embarrassed to ever actually _do_ anything about it at first, and just sort of forgot about it. Is this for _me_ ?” _Holy shit._

 

Light stroked L’s stomach lightly as he watched the man realize what the plug could do, “Yes, that’s for you.” He grinned, wondering how much L would like it if Light made him wear it while they were working together at HQ.

 

“I can practically _see_ you thinking of making me wear it in public, Light,” L said, swallowing hard and trying to decide if that idea scared him more or turned him on more. _Probably a little of both_. “Hang on, I have two more things I picked up.” Without ceremony, L reached into his bag hurriedly and pulled the last two items out, a second, more plain looking black leather collar, and a black leather harness that looked… very complicated to get into, but had intrigued him. “I think you might like this one better,” he said, trying for an innocent tone as he handed Light the other collar, waiting for him to discover the _fun_ part. And it wasn’t the multiple O rings, though he thought _that_ might appeal to Light, as well. _So many things to play with_ , he thought, feeling a little overwhelmed, but eager for whatever Light had in mind. L was absolutely determined that the second Light made his decision on what to test first, he was going to pounce on the teen, fingers already _itching_ to touch _everywhere_.

 

 _How did he know I wanted to make him wear it in public? He’s catching on pretty quick to my sneaky dirty thoughts._ Light’s gaze followed L as he reached for two more things, and pulled his hand away to take them, eyes wide as saucers now. “Holy shit, L, it’s like you already _knew_ what I’d like.” The second collar was even sexier than the first one and Light thumbed over the rings, mind whirring at all the things he could attach to those. But he let out a soft gasp when he noticed the little lock on the back of this one. Laughing quietly, “Dirty, dirty detective. Are you _really_ going to trust me with the key to that? I’d be tempted to never let you out of it.” _Yes, I definitely like this one better._ He reluctantly set the collar aside and examined the harness, imagining L in it or wearing it himself. Both appealed really, and he couldn’t stop smiling at all the options before them now. _I feel like I stepped into Disney World and every ride is open with no line._

 

L held his breath as Light examined the collar, and at that little gasp, he let it out in a whoosh, grinning widely. “I knew you’d like that.” A giggle left him at the thought of wearing _that_ to work, and he added, “I think if we’re going to be a little naughty at work, we should probably stick to the unobtrusive toys rather than the collar. But… otherwise, yes, I’ll trust you with the key. I was thinking of wearing one of those to the concert, but I wasn’t sure how dressed up you were thinking of being.” His grin melted into a smirk, “Turns out I had the right idea.”

 

Light looked at L sharply when he said he planned to wear the collar to the concert, throbbing at that thought. _God yes..._ Breathing out, “I guess we’ll both be walking around hard as hell at the concert, looking for someplace to sneak off to and fuck.” Letting out a long breath, he turned L around on the couch to straddle his lap. “Well, since you’re the one that’s paid for all the fun toys, it’s only fair you tell me what you’re interested in trying first.” He slid L’s hips closer, pushing his own up to press their obvious erections together. “I could tie you up like that picture you liked.” _That I liked._ “But whatever we do…” He reached for the locking collar, giving L a predatory stare, “You’re wearing _this_.”

 

 _Oh god._ The thought of sneaking off at the concert, of Light taking him in public, was... was all the invitation L needed to kiss him, gasping when Light pressed their erections together. Squirming, he paused and then wiggled closer, licking at Light’s lips. “If you _don’t_ tie me up, after teasing me with it last night, I will be _very_ disappointed.” Grinding down into Light’s lap, he added breathlessly, “And you can put that collar on me right now, so long as you know that I _still_ want that gag. I’ll leave it up to _you_ when to put it on me. But first…” Kissing Light deeply, L licked into his mouth eagerly, stroking his thumb across the teen’s cheek before pulling away breathlessly. “If you want to put that ‘Power’ song back on, I would... like that. It was turning me on.” _I kind of want you to fuck me to that song._

 

Light moaned softly into their kiss when L pounced in him, grabbing L’s hips and pressing them together. He was panting hard by the time L asked him to put that song back on, grinning at the obvious effect it had on them both. “In that case, of course. Stay where you are.” He looked around the room as he slid L off his lap and stood up, walking over to the window to press a button to close the curtains and dim the space. _Time to set the stage for what I had in mind._ “A little less light, and a little more room.” He moved the cart with their food to the side, pushing the low table in front of the couch away to clear the rug on the floor, but keeping all the toys on the table nearby. He walked over to the stereo, scrolling back to the song L asked for and pressing play, closing his eyes for a moment to get into the headspace he wanted. _How lucky it is that L’s kinks complement my own so well?_

  
  
A low whine left L’s mouth as they ground their hips together, and it felt _incredible_ but it wasn’t _near_ enough friction by the time Light pulled away. “Stay here?” he breathed, pouting when Light moved him off of his lap to sprawl back on the couch. Watching Light walk off to ‘ _set the mood_ ’, as it were... L slowly sat up straighter, heart pounding hard as he glanced from the table with all the toys to Light, to the stereo, smiling as he wondered, how much room does he need? The song started to play again, and he took a deep breath, already leaning forward when Light finally turned back.

 

Light smiled over his shoulder, cutting his eyes to L, “Take off your shirt. Then get on your knees in front of the couch.” He turned around to face L, pulling his sweater over his head and letting it fall then loosening his tie as he walked towards the couch with a slight smirk on his lips. The music was ramping up and filling the room with a pounding rhythm, and he couldn’t take his eyes off L now, already tying those knots in his mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the cliffhanger folks, but the next chapter will be pure f i r e, so stay tuned! 
> 
> The reference L makes (“feed me, Seymour”) is a line from the 1986 movie, Little Shop of Horrors, said by Audrey 2 (the space plant) to their human (https://youtu.be/GLjook1I0V4). 
> 
> [ZJ: Ok that plant is 100% Ryuk??  
> Ghost: Absolutely! Including the singing! (Though I don’t think Ryuk sounds anything like that)  
> Ryuk: RUDE! Have ya know I’m the best singer in the Shinigami Realm. *cue grotesque warbling and shattering of all glassware in vicinity*]
> 
> Light’s current fav song that he shared with L is ‘We Appreciate Power’ by Grimes (https://youtu.be/gYG_4vJ4qNA)


	29. We Appreciate Power

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Light and L are finally alone with no other distractions. Let the fun and games begin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is pretty smutty so if that ain’t your jam, feel free to skip and we shall resume our regular programming in the next (however this chap is pure fire so we hope you read!).

The commands Light issued sent a thrill through him, and L didn’t even _try_ to stifle the low moan that left him, tugging his shirt off over his head and discarding it on the couch before sliding off the cushion to kneel. _He really likes me being on my knees for him._ He crawled forward a bit to give Light some room to maneuver, and then stopped, watching with wide eyes Light’s graceful movements as he approached. “You are sexy as _hell_ , you know that?” he said, letting his gaze rake over Light as he pressed his hands to his thighs, grateful that he’d worn one of his looser pairs of jeans, if only for the relative ease of access Light would have. The beat of the song was pounding through him now like a second pulse, and it was even more of a turn on now that he was anticipating Light’s attention. _And we’re not improvising this time, though that was hot as hell. How much better is it going to be now we’ve somewhat PLANNED for it?_

 

Light watched with deep satisfaction how L obeyed him and slid off the couch to his knees, watching his every move now. He spoke low as he moved to stand in front of L, directing his gaze upwards with a finger in front of his eyes, “That’s right...I want your full attention.” _I want your head full of nothing but me._ He pulled one end of his tie so it slid from around his neck and then tossed it to the couch, trailing his thumb over L’s bottom lip slowly as he went on. “I want you to trust me, or none of this will work.” The body’s reaction to being tightly bound, even if just the arms and torso, may be to fight it, to panic. But Light wanted L to give over to the helplessness of it and enjoy it, all of what Light was intending to do to him.

 

The way Light trailed his thumb across L’s bottom lip was so _sensual_ , he couldn’t help the low sound that left his mouth. _I trust you, Light_ , he thought, staring up at the teen as he smiled, nipping playfully at his thumb before Light could pull away. Trust didn’t mean he couldn’t test what he could get away with, _right_? And he had no intention of being completely passive to _everything_.

 

Light’s fingers trailed over L’s cheek and into his hair, going on in a calm voice, “When I decide to gag you…,” he looked at the gag on the table beside them, “...shake your head ‘no’ if you want something to stop. Do you understand?” He waited until he saw the assent in L’s eyes, giving him a smile in return.

 

L’s eyes fluttered shut with a low whimper as Light’s fingers trailed up into his hair, and he leaned into that touch, swallowing hard when Light started speaking again. “I understand,” he whispered, opening his eyes and staring up at Light, nodding slightly, grateful to have an out if he didn’t like something. Not that he was anticipating that, but it was good to have the option nonetheless.

Picking up the collar from the table, Light turned the little key in the lock until it opened, slipping the key into his pocket. He unbuckled the collar and held it open in front of L’s neck. “Lean forward.” _Show me that you want to belong to me._

 

L’s breath caught when Light finally took the collar, his eyes following Light’s movements raptly. His gaze flickered up to Light’s face, a smile spreading across his lips as he leaned forward into the collar without hesitation. _I’m yours. Was there a doubt in your mind?_ “ _Please_.”

 

Light’s lips parted in desire as L immediately leaned forward and offered his neck, his vulnerability to him, indicating that genuine bond of trust. He closed the buckle at the nape of L’s neck, clicking the padlock, and while he couldn’t hear the clink of metal, he felt it. A snap of _yes_ as L whispered _‘Please_.’

 

A feeling of happiness, of _rightness_ , washed over L as he felt the buckle close, and he didn’t bother to stop himself as he reached up to close his fingers gently around Light’s wrist, caressing the skin with his thumb as he beamed at him.

 

Light gazed down to admire the sight, grinning at L’s brilliant smile as fingers stroked his wrist, “You look so gorgeous.” _Like you always do, but even more like this._ And for a moment he’d almost forgotten what he’d promised and held in his mind, the rope and all the rest of it, and just wanted to push L up onto the couch and fuck him right there. No, they had waited this long, he wanted to do it right. He hooked a finger in one of the loops of the collar and tugged up gently, “Stand up and turn around.” Light unbuttoned the dress shirt he’d been wearing underneath the sweater, tossing it aside, shirtless as L was now.

 

L was breathing heavily now, just raptly watching all the emotions flickering across Light’s face as he stared down at him. The compliment made him blush, just like it always did, and he ducked his head a bit as he smiled. “Thank you,” he said softly, belatedly, even though he wanted to just ignore it like he always did. That seemed wrong now, though. Just because _he_ didn’t see what Light did... but there was no point in dwelling on that when instead he could focus on what was happening. He stood up when Light told him to, a smile on his face as he watched the shirt come off, one finger coming up to press into his mouth. “ _You_ are beautiful,” he said, meeting Light’s eyes before doing as Light asked and turning around.

Light smirked at L as he went to get the rope, unspooling it from the loops it had been in and letting the ends dangle to the floor. “This will take a few minutes, but I want to make sure I do it right. If anything’s uncomfortable or _too_ tight, just tell me.” _God this is so fucking hot, like stepping into one of my fantasies, but so much better._ He stepped close to L, letting his chest touch L’s back as he kissed his shoulder. Slightly breathless, “I’ll start with wrapping your shoulders, making a struggler’s knot that loops around your arms to pull them back.” He traced the rope in his hand up L’s arm and across his shoulder, then down the middle of his back. “Then the ends will wrap with single-column ties which loops around your stomach.” He traced the rope lower and down L’s right side, back to his wrist dangling down. “That will connect to your wrists, which is where the final knot will be.”

 

Even though L had done his research the night before, he still listened intently to Light’s simple explanation and nodded, glancing back. _Just breathe, remember not to tense or struggle. Stay relaxed_. It wouldn’t do to forget something important in a crucial moment. L’s eyes fell half shut as Light stepped up behind him, and he giggled breathlessly at the intoxicating feeling of skin against his, of lips against his shoulder, letting his head fall back a little as Light began trailing the rope against his skin. Even just _this_ was erotic as hell, and he shuddered in Light’s arms, hands clenching slightly into fists at the nearly overwhelming sensations.

 

Light moved his head to L’s other shoulder, placing an open-mouthed kiss there as he pressed the hardness in his pants against L’s ass, just for a moment. _So you know how hot this is making me._ “Before I get started, do you want to be blindfolded during this?” That would focus all of L’s attention on the sensations of the ropes and the sound of Light’s voice, but he’d leave the choice up to him since this was a new experience.

 

L’s breath came fast, a whine of, “Oh god, _Light_...” escaping him when Light pressed against him, and he couldn’t help but press back, wanting to turn around and kiss Light. He contented himself with reaching up for a moment to stroke his fingers into Light’s hair, knowing he wouldn’t really have the opportunity to do so once Light started binding him. “Yes, _please_ , I don’t want any distractions.”

 

Light smiled as he felt L’s fingers in his hair, turning his face into it and kissing his hand. Eventually L turned his face towards him and Light captured his lips in a brief kiss, then he breathed out, “Alright, let me get it then.” He kissed him once more before slinging the rope over his shoulder and turning back to the table to pick up the long blindfold. Light stepped back behind L and brought it around in front of his eyes, whispering, “And now the only Light will be me.” He tied the blindfold firmly behind his head, tucking the ends in so they wouldn’t get tangled in the rope.

 

L relaxed into that brief kiss, sighing only a little when Light pulled away, only to laugh at the ridiculous pun. “Well, my world _is_ going dark for a while, so you really _will_ be my only Light,” he said, laughing more as Light pulled it tight.

 

Light took the rope in his hands and circled L slowly, mentally tracing where each loop and knot would go, studying his body in a new way now. Noticing the lines of where his muscles separated and connected to bone, where veins and arteries bulged and should be avoided. “Clasp your hands behind your back.” He waited until L had complied, moving his shoulders back slightly to help him stand up straight rather than in his usual slouch. He grinned and traced the rope across L’s chest before starting to wrap, starting at the shoulders, coiling it perfectly straight and adjusting the tension or any twisting that would be uncomfortable. When he was satisfied, he stepped around to L’s back and looped once at the elbows to draw his arms close, knotting it there. The ends looped once more at the forearms and through the large middle knot, Light pulling the ends tightly together. He paused there to let L adjust to the strange sensations. “Lucky you’re so flexible, it will probably make it easier to adjust to the odd position.” And really Light wasn’t having much resistance either from L’s body or his reflexes. “You’re doing a good job staying relaxed, keep it up.”

 

The first thing L noticed at the deprivation of his sight was that his hearing (which had always been quite acute) became a little sharper after taking a moment to adjust. Light’s instructions of course were easy enough to hear, because he was making sure to speak clearly, but even things like the tiny little rustles of fabric as Light moved, and his tiny little breaths as he worked were loud to L’s ears, and doing enough to make his task of staying _relaxed_ a difficult one. The fact that he managed it enough to make Light _comment_ on it was gratifying, and he let out a soft, pleased huff at that, taking a deep breath to calm himself when he found himself wanting to squirm at the erotic, slightly uncomfortable sensations.

 

“I can hear every little move you make,” L whispered when Light paused, smiling a little as he tilted his head just slightly to listen to the way Light was breathing.

 

The ends of the rope circled around L’s waist now, pulling his arms downward a little more with each loop and single-column knot to hold the tension. Finally all that was left was to bind L’s wrists. “We’re almost there.” Light coiled the rope around and around L’s thin wrists, then knotted it in between his hands to slightly separate them and force his palms up and outward. The rest of the rope was pushed through the main knot to keep the ends out of the way. “Done.”

 

The knots around L’s wrists made him want to squirm, but he managed to hold off until Light announced that he was done, and he nearly sagged in relief, flexing his arms and hands to test how comfortable the rope was. He hadn’t had to say anything, and though the rope was _tight_ , it wasn’t unbearably so. _It feels GOOD._

 

Light took a few steps backwards, panting quietly as he admired what he’d _created_ here, it truly did look like a work of art with the dark ropes against L’s porcelain skin. “Do you like it?”

 

“It’s…” L trailed off, hearing the way Light was panting, and his own breath caught. “How.. how does it _look?_ Good?” Letting out a pant of his own, he turned his head to face partially towards where Light was. “If you like it… you can take pictures. I don’t mind, at all.” He actually rather _hoped_ that Light would take some pictures, he wanted to be able to see this, himself.

 

Light stepped close behind again, not wanting L to wonder where he’d gone, and brushed his hands up L’s chest, fingers hooking in the ropes. L’s hands were exactly in front of his erection now, and he pressed into them, rotating his hips for L to just _feel_ this.Light pressed harder, willing fingers to clench around him as he yanked L against his chest. “Is this ok?”

 

A gasping moan left L when Light stepped up behind him and brushed his hands up his chest, squirming at the way the teen pressed right into his hands in such an _enticing_ way. _Oh Jesus, I didn’t even think about that, we’re pretty close to the same height, aren’t we?_ When Light pressed his erection against L again, he let out a laugh, trailing off into a moan as he squeezed his fingers around Light’s erection, whispering raggedly, “Oh _god, Light!_ This is more than okay, _fuck._ ” He slouched back against Light’s chest, laughing again, softly this time, before saying more forcefully, “I _need_ you to fuck me, Light, _please_.” _Please remember the gag, first._

 

 _He likes it as much as I do._ Light exhaled a soft moan against L’s neck as he felt those restrained fingers squeeze him, letting his tongue slide from hot skin to the leather of the collar. _Mine._ “I do so love to hear you beg like that, L. But not _yet_.” He hadn’t done all this work just for L to blow his load and want to get out of it right away, _oh no_. Light was going to take his time and get everything he wanted from this fantasy. He bit down on the collar, one hand rolling L’s nipple between his fingers while the other moved lower, lower past the ropes at L’s stomach to settle at the bulge at his groin. A silky tone, “So demanding. You didn’t think I’d put that gag in your mouth without putting myself there first did you?” His fingers followed L’s shaft under his pants, smiling when he noticed a wet spot on his jeans at the head. Stroking there in slow circles, he ground himself into L’s hands. Teasing, sarcastic, “Looks like you’ve been captured by Kira, and you’re at _my_ mercy now. And you’ve got so many _sins_ to atone for before I give you the privilege of release.”

 

 _Not yet. O_ f course he said _not yet._ L hadn’t really expected it would be over that quickly, anyway, but hey, it was worth a shot. He found himself grinning, letting out a low, hitching laugh at the way Light was _driving him fucking wild,_ and pushed his hips out to meet Light’s hand, anxious for some friction. “I thought you _liked_ it when I’m demanding, Light,” he moaned, rubbing and squeezing his fingers around Light’s clothed erection, even as he ached to touch bare skin. The way Light was stroking him was so light and teasing, it was making him slightly dizzy with arousal. _Fuck, this is so HOT._

 

Light smiled to see L enjoying himself, to hear his happy laughs and playful words. “Oh you know I love all your bratty demands.” In fact, that just seemed like what L needed, what they _both_ needed. Someone to play with and enjoy, without having to worry about appearances or the expectations of work and delivering results, performances, perfection. He stepped away from L to pick up his phone from the table, opening up the camera app. “Excellent idea though, to take pictures. I don’t ever want to forget this.” He turned the flash on to compensate for the dimness and started to snap pictures as he walked around L, getting closeups of the knots and bindings as well as full pictures of L’s whole body from a few angles. “Something’s wrong though, hmm.” He stepped behind L and pressed down on the large center knot, making him go to his knees in an instant. Laughing softly, “There, much better.” He took some more pictures before putting the camera back on the table.

 

When Light released him to start taking pictures, L couldn’t help but grin happily, swaying slightly in place as he tried to regain his balance. He could feel Light close to him, but being unable to see him, even if he could figure out roughly where he was in the room, was making everything more intense, especially when Light pressed on the bindings to bring him to his knees. Exhaling slowly did nothing to help the way he was panting, so L just said in a hush, “I _knew_ you’d like taking pictures.” L tilted his head up, listening, and then turned in an approximation of where he heard Light’s breathing coming from, smiling slowly as the teen came to stand right in front of him.

 

Light smiled down deviously. “I wonder if you can get me out of my pants with your hands tied.” He’d done it to L when they first met, so L could figure it out too. “The blindfold might be a little extra challenge but I’m sure you’ll manage.”

 

That issued challenge brought a groan from L as he remembered Light undoing his jeans _with his teeth,_ and he tilted his head up, still smiling and wondering what kind of picture he made _now_ as he said in a low voice, “I’m surprised you don’t want to take pictures of _this_.” Oh well.

 

L’s quip about the pictures made Light stop him, pushing a hand in his hair like _wait._ “I don’t want to have my hands full, but...yes, video.” _We need a real video camera, something to record our dirty fun in the future._ He reached over to take his phone, setting it up on the breakfast bar so it would have a birds-eye view of everything they were doing, and started to record.

 

 _Wait, he’s... he’s going to record it?_ L let out a harsh breath at that, cock throbbing at the thought, and grinned fiercely. _Guess I’ll have to put on an EXTRA special performance for the camera, make it worth watching over and over._ Not that he’d been _planning_ on slacking, of course, he wanted to get Light so hot that he would absolutely _wreck_ L after.

 

Moving back in front of L, Light stroked his hair again to let him know he was there. He looked right into the camera, then exhaled slowly as he felt L nuzzling against him and trying to find his zipper. “L blowing Kira. I can’t imagine the price such a porn would fetch. Lucky you’re so rich.” The thought made him giggle, but of course it would never see the light of day beyond their own personal use.

 

L couldn’t help but giggle at that, cheeks flushing as he briefly entertained the idea of putting it out in the world. _We’ve already ended up in articles in PORN magazines, I suppose it wouldn’t be much of a stretch for people to want to see ACTUAL porn of the two of us_. But for now… “I’m not releasing any video of us, _Kira_ ,” he teased, dropping a kiss to Light’s thigh before moving on. “No matter _how_ hot it ends up being.”

 

Leaning forward, L couldn’t help but laugh when his cheek pressed against one cloth covered thigh, and he nuzzled his cheek there for a moment before turning to mouth against Light, making his way up, just enjoying the way Light’s muscles jumped slightly under his touch. “You should know,” he murmured, grinning briefly as he nosed at the bulge in Light’s pants, and he paused before reaching out with his tongue to drag slowly up the seam of the zipper. Continuing in a soft voice, “I _never_ back down from a challenge.”

 

Light tensed and his breathing sped as L’s face rubbed against his erection, and he forced himself not to undo his pants himself and slam into that hungry mouth. He understood now why L had enjoyed this view so much when he’d done it, it was incredibly erotic to have L’s mouth near and yet so far.

 

L’s hands clenched behind him at the way Light was responding, and he shifted as he reached the button on his fly. That hadn’t been so difficult. A self-satisfied smirk stretched across his lips for a moment before he was leaning forward again, taking the fabric between his teeth to pop the button free. Releasing it, he whispered, “One down...” Before he did anything else, he blew across Light’s stomach gently and smiled before gripping the zipper in between his teeth, tugging it down slowly, adjusting his stance again as he went. He had to pause there, tilting his head back up with a laugh. “I’m afraid actually getting your pants _off_ of you might be a bit too tricky while I’m restrained, Light.”

 

By the time L had gotten his button and zipper undone, Light’s heart was hammering, cock straining against his boxers as L blew hot breath over his skin. “Fuck…I’ll do the rest.” He pushed his pants and boxers down, kicking them to the side in a hurry. His cock sprung free and brushed against L’s cheek before he took it in hand, rubbing it across L’s face. He’d been ambivalent about the blindfold at first, but quite liked the idea of L’s world narrowed down to the fine points of only Light’s cock in his mouth, the music thrumming through the room, the fingers Light was now slipping into L’s collar to stroke the skin underneath.

 

Light’s eagerness as he took off his pants was an absolute delight, and L couldn’t hold back the moan that left him when he felt Light’s erection brushing his cheek, squirming even more when Light deliberately rubbed it across his face. “ _Shit_ ,” he moaned, letting his mouth fall open and tonguing at the head when Light pressed against his lips, but he moved on too quickly. “ _Light_ ,” he whined, a little disgruntled when Light pulled away.

 

The couch was just behind Light and he sat down now, spreading his legs and tugging L’s collar forward to find him again. He grabbed onto the bindings at L’s shoulders and let L lean his weight against Light’s hand, his other hand still clutching the collar. He held L so his lips were just at the tip of his cock, within licking distance but unable to go any further without Light letting him.

 

A low moan left L as fingers dipped beneath the band of the collar, curling against his skin before tugging him forward in between Light’s spread legs. _YES_. A full body shudder rippled through him, and he panted as he licked over the head of Light’s cock, desperate for more but unable to get it with Light holding him away like that.

 

The sight of L’s pink tongue darting out to lick away the precum now dripping from his slit was incredible, and nearly made him tear L’s blindfold away so he wouldn’t miss this. _Later, at the right moment. I want to see him focused for now._ He grinned to see L fighting against him, pushing forward and _wanting_ it, made him feel desired and powerful. _He seems to like it when I talk dirty to him._ “Do you want this cock, whore? Are you going to show me how much of a slut you are and swallow the whole thing down?” Light pushed just the tip into L’s mouth, fucking up into a few times before pulling back out with a long moan. _Oh holy hell, your mouth._ “You better not spill a drop else I’m going to have to _spank_ you.”

 

“Light-” Cutting himself off, L could only listen and nod eagerly as Light began talking dirty to him, lips parted in breathless anticipation as the music throbbed through his body. He was dimly aware that it was the same song he had requested ( _he put it on repeat? YES!_ ), and the pulsing beat was making him want to climb into Light’s lap and grind down onto him until they both exploded. “ _Please_ ,” L whined, body tensing and his hands and toes clenching and unclenching as he strained against Light’s hands, lapping at Light’s cock again. _If I spill any, I’ll gladly take whatever you dish out._ “Just let me-”

 

Light knew already one orgasm wasn’t going to be near enough, and he’d probably be hard again in an instant as soon as he’d shoved that ball gag into the mess he intended to make in L’s mouth. Light hoped L _did_ spill it, either by accident or on purpose, just so he could slap his ass a few times before destroying it.

 

Light’s head fell back and his eyelids fluttered as he finally slid into L’s hot mouth, a long exhale of ‘ohhhh’ passing his lips and his hand gripping the collar hard. The build-up and teasing had been equally torturous for him as for L, although he enjoyed the anticipation too much not to endure it, and moments like this reminded him why. He was _extremely_ hard, twitching in L’s mouth as he guided his head down by the collar and held the weight of his torso up. It was going to be some feat of coordination to manage L’s body while he would probably barely be able to control his own, but he’d do his best for as long as he could. He pulled L down until he was completely engulfed, pressing against the back of L’s throat and then slipping past it when it relaxed.

 

The teasing from before, when Light had only given him a little taste, had been _agonizing_ ; this? This was _heaven._ L couldn’t help but moan as Light finally slid inside fully, relaxing his throat and sealing his lips around Light as he swallowed around him… he knew how much Light liked when he did _that_.

 

L swallowing brought a loud gasping moan from Light, toes curling into the rug as his legs spread wider. _Fuck..I’m going to come too soon if I don’t calm down._ He loosened his grip on the collar and pushed L back up and off his cock so L could take a breath, and gave him enough slack so he could bob or lick or suck as he wished. Breathless and needy, “Come on, L...it’s all yours.”

 

A small whine left L when Light pushed him off, but then he said the magic words: “ _It’s all yours._ ” Licking his lips, he let out a giddy laugh before lowering his head to take Light in as far as he comfortably could, bobbing his head a few times before pulling off, licking over the head. “Is it _really_ all for me?” he asked teasingly, taking just the tip into his mouth and swirling his tongue around, recreating the movements he’d used just two nights before on that cherry stem, enjoying the sounds coming from Light’s mouth. He released him again to say in a low voice, “I’ll have to teach you that trick sometime soon. Can’t let you have _all_ the fun.”

 

Light’s eyes were wide as he watched L do the thing Light loved best, each lick sending a shiver through him and somehow making him even harder than he was before. He squeezed his eyes shut and panted, “YES it’s yours...just...oh fuck...”

 

After that little tease, L grinned and licked his way down to the base of Light’s cock, and a little lower, pressing a light kiss to his sack before sucking gently on one side, and then the other, chuckling a bit at Light’s reaction. _Now you know how I felt the other night_ , he thought smugly to himself, licking a long stripe back up the underside, focusing his attention on tracing the vein and teasing the head for another moment before taking a deep breath and once more taking Light into his mouth as far as he could.

 

Light was a gasping, moaning mess as soon as L started on him for real, unable to keep from squirming and pushing his hips up to meet L’s bobs downward and softly swearing in Japanese. “Chikushō… _kuso...kuso_...” He was trying to help hold L up, but it was a half-ass attempt as he slumped backwards against the couch, feet perched up on the sides as he forced himself to stay still and just feel it. Light shuddered hard as L took him deep a few times and teasingly licked his balls, looking down at him with half-lidded eyes, whispering, “Warugaki…” _Getting back at me? I’ll take it gladly…_

 

L couldn’t help but chuckle when Light called him _that_ , a warm thrill going through him at the connotations. _Sloppy, eh? Oh, I like that._ Relaxing his throat, he bobbed his head down until his lips met the base of Light’s cock, only able to hold it for a moment, hollowing out his cheeks and sucking in earnest. Every sound Light made, every move was driving L _crazy_ , breathing harshly and squirming, knowing he had _no_ intention of following Light’s ‘order’ and begging in his head, _please come, please, so I can come._ He couldn’t _wait_ to see if Light would follow through on his ‘promise’.

 

Light doubled over and nearly came as L took him to the base, mouth wide open and panting loudly now, knowing he was close. The steady, rhythmic suction quickly pushed him near to the edge and he tore L’s blindfold away, mouth wide open in ecstasy as Light stared down into his eyes. Fingers clenched in the collar as he exploded into L’s mouth, fucking up into it as he writhed against the back of the couch in intense pleasure, each thrust ending in “ _L...L...L…”_ Light was trembling as his fingers finally fell from the collar to thump limply against the couch, but he looked down satisfied, amused and half-drunk to see if L had abided by his ‘rule.’ _Here’s hoping no._  

 

When Light tore the blindfold off of him, it was actually a little startling, and L stared up in surprise; _hearing_ how much Light was enjoying everything was hot enough, but being able to _see_ , now, how he was falling apart was _amazing_ , and he let out a muffled moan when Light finally exploded in his mouth. It was absolutely _intoxicating_ to know that he could reduce Light to this, to fucking into his mouth and unable to say anything but his _name_ , and he reflexively swallowed around Light before remembering that he was _supposed_ to be making a mess, this time. Giggling a little, he pulled off, letting the last pulses hit his parted lips and dribble down his chin before tilting his head up at Light.

 

It was difficult for Light to maintain a stern expression as he watched L purposefully pull off his cock and let the last bits hit his face instead, and he had to bite his lip to hold back the whine in his throat at the obscene and voluptuous sight. He was still panting, but it changed over to soft laughter as he shook his head, “Oh you really _are_ warugaki…” _And doing it on purpose just to set me off again._ He loved this game though, L’s brattiness and demands, Light’s ‘threats’ and hopes for defiance.

 

L licked the come from his lips only to stick his tongue out at Light teasingly, displaying the mess without swallowing it down, a thrill going through him at being called _warugaki_ again. He knew that he was close to just _losing_ it, especially given Light’s reaction. He licked sensually over the tip, knowing it would be _very_ sensitive, and said in a soft, smug voice, “Oops…”

 

The whine Light had held back broke through at that erotic, defiant display, and he shuddered as L licked over the tip. But he didn’t pull away, the overstimulation was just the kind of intense sensation he loved, and it made him pulse weakly and dig his nails into L’s bindings. He lowered his legs to the floor again, half-gasping, “If I didn’t know better...I’d say you fucked that up on purpose.”

 

 _If he really does spank me… will it push me over?_ “And if I _did_ fuck it up on purpose?” L asked breathlessly, grinning and unable to back away before Light reached for him.

 

Light leaned up, taking a deep breath as he grabbed the large knot holding all L’s bindings together. He heaved L up bodily over his lap, pressing the knot down to hold him immobile while he squirmed.

 

“Shit!” L laughed, a little surprised by that. Maybe the bindings helped make it easier to haul him around. He squirmed, unable to resist fighting back, even though he _did_ want this. “Light!”

 

Leaning forward, Light, whispered in his ear, “Now you have two choices.” His left hand slipped under L’s jeans to his ass cheek, massaging it sensuously, while his right hand stayed on the knot at the man’s back. “I sadly only have _two_ hands, and as long as you’re struggling, one will have to pin you here.” His left hand moved to the other cheek, grabbing a handful of flesh and kneading. “Or, you can be a good little slut and _take_ your punishment, and maybe my right hand might find something more fun to do.”

 

L quieted down, listening to the ‘options’ and shivering at the way Light’s breath felt in his ear, a low moan starting when Light started to massage his ass under his jeans. _Holy shit._ “What do I get if I’m _good_?” L asked softly, glancing up at Light hopefully, cheeks stained red and wondering if Light was going to comment on his… state.

 

Light laughed low in L’s ear as he quickly realized L was wearing _no_ underwear, which meant that he’d had none on during the entrance exam or in the limo or the _entire_ day. “L...you sneaky slutty detective. Going around commando, hoping Kira reaches in? _For shame._ ” He pulled his hand out and smacked L’s ass over his jeans, just lightly and testing L’s reaction. “It’s very dangerous to walk around like that, because I’m apt to drag you into some closet and fuck you silly once we have to work together.” He smacked him again, relishing the way L writhed in his lap but completely unable to escape the bindings or Light’s grip on them.

 

 _I was hoping you would realize it before now_ , L thought to himself, giggling at Light’s teasing comment, only to stop abruptly at the first light smack. He listened to Light with parted lips, feeling his pulse throbbing in his head ( _and his pants_ ) at that threat, and he let out a breathless, “Do you _promise_?” moaning and writhing in his lap when Light smacked him again. _I am DEFINITELY going to do that at work sometime._ He wasn’t _really_ trying to get out of anything this time, but this… this whole thing was almost too much.

 

 _Oh, I promise._ Light’s hand stilled. “If you’re _good_ , for one, your pants get to come off. I guess that’s all there is to _take_ off.” Light chuckled again, loving these little things L did to get him excited. Light tentatively removed his right hand from the knot, slipping it under his lap and pressing against the erection in L’s jeans. “And if I don’t have to hold the knot with you struggling around, I can hold something _else._ ”

 

“Am I allowed to come now, or…” L asked in a slightly desperate voice, gasping low in his throat and pressing his hips against Light’s hand. He had never realized how much he used his hands now that he wasn’t able to _touch_ \- not himself, not Light, not anything. It was frustrating, but also hot as hell to be so helpless, and he was getting quite desperate for relief. “I need you so _bad_ , Light.” The look on Light’s face confused him for a moment, and he remembered. “I’ll be good! Please, I need them _off_.”

 

Light hummed with satisfaction to see L so desperate and needy, and let his hand move to pop the button on L’s jeans and carefully slide down the zipper. “If you can come like this, you have _permission_. But you wait until I say so.” He gripped the back of L’s pants and yanked them away, exposing his pale flesh to Light’s eyes, now completely naked on his lap. He pulled L closer, tracing his fingers against his chest. “Remember, you promised to be _good_.”

 

“Oh god,” L whimpered, limbs shaking as Light finally agreed to let him come. With permission, and when he said, but still. _CAN I hold off until he tells me to? CAN I be good?_ “Yes, Kira, I promise,” he whispered, shuddering hard under Light’s touch and moaning when the teen wrapped his slick fingers around his cock.

 

Light pulled his right hand away to spit generously in it, wrapping it around L’s erection under his lap. “Let’s see...if this can get you off.” Light held L’s cock loosely, bringing his left hand up high and smacking it down on both cheeks simultaneously and making L thrust forward into his other hand. He was starting to get excited again, this scenario had featured in _many_ of his fantasies. Breath slightly ragged, “ _That’s_ for handing in your test first.” His grip around L’s cock tightened slightly as he brought his left hand up, “And _this_ is for lying to Kira!” His hand came down hard, making a loud smacking sound that filled the room even over the music. Light rubbed the reddening flesh, kneading it in his hand as he thumbed over L’s slit and around the head.

 

That first smack made L gasp, eyes squeezing shut as he thrust into Light’s hand, body thrumming with shock and adrenaline. He was absolutely enthralled by the way he could feel Light’s erection beginning to poke him in the belly again, and the subsequent smack tore a ragged cry from him, even as it knocked him forward, dazed by how powerful it was. _Holy SHIT._ Even though his ass smarted from that one, it felt _good_ , and maybe it was just because Light was trying to make him feel good simultaneously, but... L wasn’t entirely sure about that.

 

Light laughed, drunk on this power and control, and leaned forward to hiss in L’s ear, “I’m going to spank you until you come all over the rug, and then I’m going to bend you over this couch and fuck you so hard you’ll think I split you in two.” He brought his hand up again, smacking it down again _hard,_ whispering, “That’s for spilling my cum when I told you _not_ to, warugaki.” He let L’s cock slide into his hand with each strike, squeezing it when he pulled away. But he wanted to see L fall apart in his lap now, and sucked the fingers of his left hand to slick them before trailing them over L’s entrance. Forcefully, “ _Tell_ me how hard you want Kira to fuck you. And then make a mess all over the rug before I _do_ it.”

 

An aroused little squeak left L at the dirty things Light was saying, eyes flying open at another smack, and as he bucked up into Light’s hand again, he found himself raggedly begging, “ _Kira!_ You _know_ how much I want you to fuck me, please just take me! I don’t care if you pound me into the floor, I don’t care if you fuck me so hard I can’t _walk_ for a week, I just want you to _fuck me_.” He pressed back against Light’s fingers, squirming to try to get just a _little_ more stimulation. “Please, _please_ , fuck me, Kira-” Pausing, L took a deep breath, hesitating, and instead of _being good_ like he’d promised… maybe Light would give him something _else_ instead. Squeezing out a low, fierce whisper, “Fuck me raw if you want, _please!_ ”

 

Light was slightly disappointed that L had not done what he’d said and _come already,_ but it seemed that the detective had other ideas in mind, and he certainly couldn’t stay mad being called _Kira._ His eyelids drooped at that, hands pulling away as he listened to L beg so prettily, feeling the more proper and restrained part of _Light_ separate and drift away at those words. Swallowing hard, he latched on to the last echo in his mind, _fuck me raw if you want,_ and was past caring or wondering whether L meant it. A slight shudder went through his body as he realized how badly he _wanted_ that but had been too afraid to ask, his current state unable to think about future repercussions. Quietly, “You shouldn’t say such things to me….” Because like it or not, Light did have a sadistic side, and while some of the porn still buried at the bottom of his backpack explored it, he hadn’t shown it to L. _I shouldn’t want to hurt you._

 

The quiet, serious way that Light said that was almost chilling, but… L could feel the way Light- no, _Kira_ shuddered at the thought. “ _Please_ , Kira,” he whispered, staring up at him with wide, pleading eyes. It was clear that this part of Light scared the teen, and just as clear to L that, despite that, Light still wanted to do it.

 

Light closed his eyes but L kept _asking,_ and Light couldn’t say no, his will was iron against everything except his own desires. He breathed out, “So much for being _good_ then.” _For either of us._ He brought his hand down one last time on L’s exposed ass, harder than before, for disobeying him, before moving L off his lap and sliding to the floor.

 

L cried out at that, body tense and trembling with the effort _not_ to come yet. He had the feeling he was going to need to be on the edge for the initial… Swallowing hard, a whimper escaped him when Light slid to the floor with him. _Yes!_

 

Light pushed L up against the edge of the couch, bending his restrained form over the cushions. Breathing heavily, he spread L’s legs wide, licking up between his cheeks as he imagined the friction of nothing but L’s body against him. _But oh fuck...can you take it?_ He lapped again, spreading L’s ass and circling his entrance with his tongue before plunging in, pressing and widening him as much as possible. Light was so hard again, aching and throbbing with an even worse need than when he’d gotten off before. His saliva would provide the barest lubrication but otherwise?

 

As Light bent him over the edge of the couch, L found himself giggling, an anticipatory thrill going through him. _Oh god, yes!_ A ragged moan left him again at the feeling of tongue against his ass, and through all of the pleasant sensations making him writhe and squeeze his eyes shut in pleasure, he had to silently remind himself, _this is not going to be comfortable. Remember he loves you. You ASKED for this, more than once. Make sure to remind HIM of that later if he…_ That train of thought made him glance back, eyes slitted in pleasure but trying to look past that to see how Light was doing. His breath caught at seeing how _hard_ Light had gotten again, just from the _thought_ , just from doing _this_. That clinched it for him. _He really DOES want this too._

 

Light leaned up, taking his erection in hand and trailing it down L’s ass. Strained, “Last chance...to back out.” The Kira side of him wanted to just fuck L sore and bloody, make him scream with the mixture of pleasure and pain and _love_ it. The Light side of him was but a ghost now, but reminded him to give L one more chance.

 

 _Last chance?_ L nodded, and he whispered fiercely, “I _want_ this. I want you, Light… _Kira._ I want _all_ of you.” _Not just the sanitized part._

 

 _Then here we go._ Light practically growled into L’s neck, “You’re going to get _all_ of me then.” He grabbed the gag from the table, palming it in his hand as he leaned against L’s bent body. “I...want to put it on you now.” He held the ball part of the gag in front of L’s mouth, trembling with anticipation.

 

Pressing back against Light’s erection, L smiled back at him, eyes snapping forward when Light held the gag up in front of his face. His breath caught and he nodded emphatically, breathlessly, “ _Please.”_

 

Light took a deep breath and nodded, pressing the ball into L’s open mouth and working it in before tightening the strap behind his head. He glanced over at his phone, licking his lips as he grasped L’s jaw and turned it towards the camera too. _How I’ve longed to see you like this._ His thumb brushed over the strap and across the ball as he admired it for a moment, panting hard at the delicious image it made. _Fuck._

 

Any misgivings L might have still had fled when Light worked the gag into his mouth, and his eyes fluttered half closed as he exhaled loudly, something he _still_ couldn’t define easing in his chest. Hearing the way Light was panting and growling in his ear sent another rippling shudder through him, and his gaze flickered up to find the camera, staring for a long moment before smiling around the ball in his mouth. _We’re certainly going to get quite the show when we watch this back_ , he thought to himself.

 

Releasing L’s face, Light leaned back up, spitting generously into both his hands. He grasped L’s erection, stroking it from base to tip slowly to distract him from Light’s spit-slick cock pressing and nudging against his hole. Light leaned in harder, using the weight of his body to slip the tip of his cock inside, having to stop there due to the hard shudder that went through him. Gasping, “You’re...so tight, oh god…” He kept up his strokes on L as he leaned in more, and L’s body was velvet heat clenching around him, pulling ragged moans from his lips as he was sucked in further and further.

 

L’s eyes squeezed shut and he let out a muffled moan when Light gripped his cock, pressing into him from behind. And it _did_ hurt - he had known that going in, tried to mentally prepare himself for it, for if he _actually_ went through with it. He had to laugh, slightly crazed as tears sprang to his eyes, because _nothing_ could have fully prepared him for _this_.

 

Light didn’t need to guide his cock anymore, he was in completely now, and held onto L’s bindings instead to pull his body into the first thrust. “ _FUCK!”_ The sensation of nothing but skin on skin was driving him wild, his hand on L’s cock twisting around the head and jacking faster to give him battling sensations of pleasure and pain. He wondered now how it felt to L to have his cock pressing up against his prostate _so close_ , with so much friction. But it was his own pleasure that was overwhelming him as he began to move deliberately, holding some modicum of self control to open L before just grabbing the ropes and destroying him.

 

 _He’s so BIG_ , L thought dazedly, pressing his face into the cushions and breathing raggedly as Light pressed in fully, grateful for the way the teen continued to stroke him through the shivering pain. That first thrust pulled a broken cry from him, his body tensing up and twisting reflexively in Light’s grip, and he sobbed, forcing himself to focus on that moment of stillness he’d felt earlier, on the way Light was stroking him. It was the oddest mixture of pleasure and pain, and for a moment, it was a battle for which side won out, but a twist of Light’s fingers on him pulled another sobbing moan from him and he couldn’t help but strain into Light’s hand. _Oh fuck, LIGHT._ It helped to ease his tension, and as Light began to move, slowly, deliberately, opening him up as he relaxed, the pressure against his prostate slowly overtook the pain until he was pressing back onto Light’s cock as much as his limited mobility allowed him, his broken moans filling the air. He hadn’t been sure if he could handle it, but as it turned out... Glancing back at Light, vision blurry, he gave him an emphatic nod, willing the teen to just _take_ what he wanted. _Please, Light!_

 

The feeling of L pressing back against him, struggling not to get _away_ but to impale himself further, and the way L turned to nod and encourage him on…Light could do nothing but let inhibition slip through his fingers like so much unwanted sand, lovingly caressing and then scraping against L’s chest as he leaned in to thrust harder, faster, pounding L into the couch cushions. He leaned down to moan and lick frantically at L’s shoulder, tasting a trickle of salty sweat overlaid on L’s unique and now-familiar taste. _He’s feeling it deeply._ Whispering, “You belong to me, L...your body...your mind…” Light wanted to crowd everything out in this moment of complete and utter control, overwhelm L completely and bring him to the brink of collapse before snatching him back. He stopped stroking for just a moment so there was no distraction from the pain, rolling his hips, “Your pleasure…” When L sobbed he started stroking again, feeling a sick thrill that L _still_ wasn’t shaking his head for him to stop. _Does he like this? Teetering into the grey areas where both L and Kira live and nearly losing our minds?_

 

If he could have spoken, L would have been moaning out a broken ‘ _Yes, Kira!_ ’ at every thrust; he hoped that his desperate, needy moans were enough to broadcast how much he _liked_ this. Every caress, every scrape of nails against his skin, every moan, every stroke - hell, every _word_ that fell from Light’s lips only drove him closer to the edge now, and he couldn’t tell at first if that was despite or _because_ of the pain still mixed in. _Yes, I belong to you, Kira_ , he thought, eyes squeezing shut and letting out a ragged, stuttering sob when Light let up on his strokes, rolling his hips into him a few times to really let him _feel_ him. _Oh FUCK!_ L’s arms were straining against the bonds, and he just wanted some leverage to really lean _into_ what Light was doing to him, realizing with a brief moment of clarity that he liked the _pain_ , as well. Or maybe he was just too far gone to care and just wanted to come _that_ badly, but the way he was throbbing before Light closed his hand around his cock again said otherwise.

 

Light whined loudly as he held back his orgasm and felt himself pulse precum into L, slicking him slightly. His fingers grabbed onto L’s collar, yanking L’s body up against his chest by the neck and probably choking him momentarily. _Even your breath belongs to me._ The power to kill with the death note had made him _feel_ like a god, but now he was living it, loving and destroying and creating. Such a dichotomy was Light, wanting to protect L and wanting L to bleed for him, wanting to give him explosive pleasure but rip it through the pain, wanting to treat him tenderly and use him in every way he could. He laughed as he sat back on his knees and kept pushing up into L, holding him tightly as he stroked him faster.

 

The new angle as Light tugged L up onto his knees against the teen’s chest felt incredible, especially as he realized Light’s movements were slicker, easier, and the resulting agonized moan was cut off as fingers closed around the collar, and then around his neck.

 

Light needed to come so badly he felt sick, his breaths rasping as he dissociated from the need and just kept moving, so greedy for this moment he was loathe to let it die. It was Light who thought he was dying when he exploded warmth into L with a whisper of ‘ _come’_ , moving wet and slick as he rode his orgasm to the end, one hand squeezing L’s neck and the other twisting up and down L’s cock to _force_ him to do as Light said this time.

 

L was so close, his mind screaming at him to _just come already_ through a haze of pleasure and pain, and his chest felt tight, body clenching around the teen as he felt Light shoot inside of him. He wanted to scream, and he wanted to laugh, shuddering as Light released his neck for only a brief moment, letting him gasp in a breath before squeezing again. The way Light twisted his hand up L’s cock and fucked up into him through his own orgasm was enough to make L _explode_ , body bowing from the intensity as he pressed his head back against the teen’s shoulders, eyes wide and tear filled, grinding down frantically onto Light’s cock and struggling to make a noise, _any_ noise, through the gag and the hand clenched around his neck.

 

Light’s entire body was shaking so hard his fingers didn’t respond at first to the signal from his brain, _let him breathe._ The strangled moan L made as he came sent a shiver through him, making him close his eyes and grin as L clenched around him and ground down. Every muscle seemed to ache and burn but the afterglow of his orgasm made it feel like only a background warmth, like standing close to a fire. His heartbeat was erratic, mind clouded like a drug as his hand finally slithered down from L’s neck and hung loosely at his side. “Oh my god…” His head slumped forward on L’s shoulder, holding the man close to him and oblivious to the sticky cum he was smearing on L’s chest. He wasn’t ready to pull out yet, wasn’t ready to _move_ at all, but he remembered... _he’s gagged, can’t speak. Might be in pain._ Light lifted his head to kiss L’s collar, kissing around it tenderly and unbuckle the gag from around his head. It fell to L’s lap with a wet plop.

 

L had finally settled into Light’s lap when the teen released his neck, and he sucked in a large breath, grateful for the relief. A moment later, he found himself laughing, soft and breathless at first, growing into something warmer and _happy_ when Light embraced him. Closing his eyes, he stilled again, sniffling. The position they were in felt a little awkward, a little uncomfortable, but he honestly didn’t care right now, because Light was being so _tender_ that he just felt safe and warm, tilting his head slightly to let Light kiss his neck. Once the gag was out of his mouth, he sighed. He was going to have to remember next time to let Light know that having the gag in was more than just erotic for him. _Mind, I’m going to have to figure out what it IS to me, but we’ve got time to explore that._

 

Light spoke softly, soothing now, “That was so incredible...I don’t even have the words for once.” Light chuckled against L’s neck, brushing his lips across his ear. “That must be some kind of first for Light Yagami, hmm?” He wasn’t going to let himself feel guilty this time, L had wanted it and he could see, hear, feel it was the case even with the gag and rope. Of course he hoped he hadn’t _actually_ hurt him or did any damage, but damn if it hadn’t been an incredible turn-on to see L not shying from the pain.

 

Working the kinks out of his jaw, L smiled at Light’s soft words before whispering back, “That… oh my _god_ , Light. We need to do that again.” A giggle left him at the quip and he added, “Maybe not too _often_ , but…” A shiver went through him as he settled back more comfortably against Light’s chest, enjoying the way fingers trailed over his skin and glancing down at himself, curious now what the rope looked like. He clearly wasn’t getting the full effect, but the dark coils against his pale skin, both flesh and cord streaked in places with cum, made a very… a _very_ erotic image. “ _Shit_ ,” he whispered, breath catching.

 

Light let L slump back into his arms, just trailing his fingertips on the places where skin wasn’t covered by rope. “You’re pretty tough, I’m impressed.” Light nuzzled at his cheek until L turned his face towards him, kissing him gently, smiling into it. Pulling back he stared into wide eyes, hoping L had no regrets, “Do you need anything? Want me to untie you now?”

 

Glancing back up at Light, L flushed, smiling happily. “What? You think so? Thank you.” Pressing into that gentle kiss with a soft hum of satisfaction, he laughed again, much softer this time, face flushing even more as he stared at Light with wide eyes and asked, “Actually… could you leave it on? Just… for a little longer.” He looked away, not quite embarrassed, but a little self conscious. “I… actually find it a little comforting to be bound. Now that I’m not… desperate to get off, I mean. _Thank_ you for that, Light.” He looked back at Light, hoping he understood what he meant and smiling now. _I’ll just have to spell it out if he asks what I mean, I don’t mind being blunt if I have to be_.

 

Light nodded when L asked to have the bindings on a while longer. He very much enjoyed how they looked and if L wanted them on that was _just_ fine. He was a little confused about what exactly L was thanking him for, though...for the sex, or for tying him up? For understanding why he’d want to stay in the ropes? “No need to thank _me.”_ That seemed a little ludicrous given what L had just let him do to his body. He sighed happily, somewhat amused...being thanked for that was unnecessary given how much he’d enjoyed it.

 

L laughed as he explained, “You’ve given me everything I’ve asked for today, and just… in general. That’s what I’m thanking you for.” He pressed a kiss to Light’s cheek before giggling, enjoying the happy, amused little sigh the teen let out and stroking his fingers gently against Light’s stomach. Or at least, as much of it as he could reach. “Though I would appreciate something to drink.”

 

The request for water brought Light back to his practical self, looking around for something in reach that would clean up the mess that was sure to occur as soon as he pulled out. “Shit...I should have thought to bring a towel or something in here.” He laughed a little in embarrassment, there was nothing to be done unless they planned on ruining their clothes and then have nothing to wear later. He sighed like _oh well_ , pulling out gently and _holy shit..._ Light’s eyes went wide at just how _much_ he’d come, cheeks flushing hot to watch it spill from L’s body, tinged pink with blood. _Oh fuck, that’s hot though..._ That also made him remember the camera still recording them. He edged back from L and turned off the music, going into the bathroom and grabbing a few fluffy towels to bring to L. “You...ah, might want to use this to sit on, until I can get you in the bathtub.” _I’ll show you the ropes in the mirror too._ Light liked the idea of showing off his work to L, letting him appreciate it better.

 

The reality of their situation seemed to catch up with both of them now, and L couldn’t help but giggle again. _This part is going to suck, isn’t it?_ “Oops,” he murmured, sighing in amusement. “Good thing I’m rich, huh? Just… don’t worry about it, Light.” Shifting, he couldn’t help but wince in pain as Light pulled out, even gentle as he was, and his own cheeks were red at the sensation of _wet_ spilling out of him and coating the back of his thighs. He was dimly aware of Light hurrying off somewhere as he tried to arrange himself somewhat comfortably on the floor, finally just settling onto his knees when the teen returned with the towels, watching Light bustle into the kitchen.

 

Light went to his phone on the way to the kitchen, turning off the recording function. _Water._ Opening the refrigerator, he smiled to see champagne in there again, but grabbed a couple of icy cold bottles of water for now. Turning back to L, he smiled, “I guess I’ll have to help you drink it. Probably wrong of me to get a little thrill out of that.” He opened the bottle and knelt down beside L on the rug, holding the water to his lips so he could take a sip.

 

“So…” L called, licking his lips and grinning as Light walked towards him with the water bottles. “You _like_ me helpless?” he said teasingly, leaning forward gratefully to take a sip. “I’m not going to lie, I like the way you take care of me. It’s… nice. Feels like you do it because you _want_ to.” He took another, longer sip, a soft sigh of relief leaving him.

 

Light held the water bottle, tilting it when L indicated he wanted another sip. He blushed a little at the question, only shrugging in answer. _Isn’t it obvious I like control?_ “I _do_ like taking care of you.” He smiled, because taking care of L in little ways or pampering him, giving him what he wanted, it was just a way Light could show him how he felt. But he didn’t just want to give in to _all_ L’s whims like he imagined Watari must have done all these years for L to become how he was, used to getting his own way even if unhealthy or unwise. Light was already sneakily thinking about some ways to get L to eat better, sleep better. He grinned, “The way I take care of you...you might not always thank me for it. Like when I try to get you to cut back on sweets or get more rest.” He pulled the water back when L was finished, setting the empty bottle on the table. “Maybe I’ll just have to wear you out every night so you _have_ to sleep.” He laughed, leaning up to press a kiss to L’s lips before drinking some of his own water.

 

He felt a little sticky and sweaty, his hair was matted down against his face and he brushed it out of his eyes now. “We should probably get a bath, and you’ll feel better if you’re, uh, sore.” Plus Light’s own muscles were a little sore after all the exertion. “The bathtub in there looked incredible. Did you pick this room because of the piano and the huge tub? If so, I definitely approve.” He took another long gulp of water, eyes cutting to the refrigerator as he remembered something in there. “And I might have ordered a huge piece of tiramisu, knowing how hungry you get after I ravage you.” He giggled at that, and at the contradiction between his prior assertion of making L eat better. Imperiously, “I know I said you needed to cut back on the sweets, but I think you’ve expended enough calories that we can let it slide.” _Hmm, there’s a thought, he only gets sweets after great sex with me? Damn, if that isn’t a win win._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed that! Here’s a picture of the tie Light used on L (SFW but suggestive): https://m.imgur.com/WJuSBoH
> 
> For the Japanese words Light's using, 'warugaki' means 'brat,' 'chikuso' here is like 'fuck,' while 'kuso' is a little softer word like 'shit.'


	30. Confidence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Light and L get to plotting, exchanging information while they soak in the tub. Both separately come to the same conclusion that Beyond may be an important person to find, but someone else may stand in their way.

Grinning, L gave Light an amused glance. “What, because we just had vigorous sex, I’m _allowed_ sweets, right? What if I want some sherbet, too? Can I have _that_? That’s healthier than ice cream, isn’t it?”

 

Light laughed and rolled his eyes, “Jesus you are a handful. No wonder Watari just gave up trying to say ‘no’.” But he was giggling hard, leaning in to kiss L’s lips. He cupped his face, smiling, “I suppose you deserve it, so sure, why not. Although maybe call for it after a bath since that’s how we get embarrassing situations, right? Maybe you’ll at least get a good night’s sleep tonight since I wore you out.”

 

L beamed at that, enjoying Light’s reaction. Honestly, he had _mostly_ been kidding about the sherbet, he just wanted to see what Light said. Which had been how he always ended up getting his way with Watari for years, as well, so maybe he needed to cut back on being so demanding _all_ the time. _Maybe I’ll wait until after dinner for that, since he already got tiramisu…_ He giggled at Light’s comment about _embarrassing_ situations and that clinched it. “Okay, I guess I don’t _really_ need sherbet right now, maybe later. We’ve had enough embarrassing situations in the last week.”

 

Smiling, L leaned into the kiss, and then said softly, “Sometimes it’s a good thing I don’t sleep much. If I’d had more sleep, we wouldn’t have so many toys to choose from, and I might have gotten rope that wasn’t very good. Due to a... lack of research.” Mind, there _had_ been some things he would have changed about the previous night, if he could go back and do it over. Watari had been a big reason he had gone to sleep as late as he had, and the way he had been caught almost immediately post-orgasm had certainly made him flustered enough to forget crucial information when they had been talking. But… he really didn’t want to think about that, since there was nothing he could do about it _now_ , especially now he realized that Watari might have done it deliberately to _test_ him or throw him off.

 

Glancing down, L asked, “Are you… going to untie me _now_ , or before we get in the tub?” He was ready to get out of the rope now, but if Light had anything else in mind first, he could wait a little bit longer. Though he _did_ rather hope they were going to get clean soon, because he was _very_ sore. He shifted in the bindings, laughing now as he said, “Heh, probably the only luxury I have really ever indulged in, aside from my sweets, is nice soaking tubs.”

 

Light stood up, considering L’s question. “No, I want to show you how it looks first, and there’s a full-length mirror in the bathroom. I didn’t do all that work for you not to even ooh and ahh over it a little.” He grinned, bending down to scoop L up in his arms so he wouldn’t have to walk to the bathroom, thinking that would probably be a little uncomfortable right now.

 

L tried to shift when Light bent down, assuming he was going to help him up, only to let out a surprised yelp when Light instead scooped him right into his arms. Cheeks flushing, he stared at Light with parted lips, and then giggled, snuggling his cheek against Light’s collarbone. “I love you,” he murmured, swallowing hard at the sweet gesture.

 

Light felt such a warmth at L’s words, _I love you,_ it was unexpected and adorable. He kissed L’s hair as he set him down on the white marble floor of the bathroom, whispering, “I love you too.” It didn’t feel odd at all to say that, which was odd in itself since Light never had said it to anyone outside his family until today. He smiled warmly and helped L stand up, letting him lean for support. The tasteful, clean lines of the room were broken by many gilt-edged mirrors along the walls, so from where L was standing he could see both the front and the back of the ropework in full light. It was only fair that L got to admire it properly since he’d been the one to wear it.

 

L couldn’t help but feel awkward as he leaned against Light, sticky and flushed and unsteady on his feet after everything, looking around at the luxurious bathroom. _This is…_ “I think this bathroom may be a little _too_ ostentatious for me.” His gaze fell on the tub and gleamed, an awed grin spreading across his face. “Except for _that_.” He couldn’t wait to get into that tub and get some relief from his sore, tired muscles.

 

“Alright, I just wanted you to really see how it looked. I’ll get you out of it now when you’re ready.” While L was looking in the mirror, Light turned to the tub and started the water. The tub was enormous and would take some time to fill up but looked like heaven to soak in. “Maybe you can tell me what you and Ryuk talked about while we soak a while.”

 

Tilting his head, L took the time to focus on the way he looked in the mirrors, dark rope against his skin, and the sheer beauty in the simplicity of the lines, and the knotwork, taking in every angle - especially the back. “Oh wow.” He was so captivated by it that he only dimly heard what Light said, instead commenting in a hushed voice, “ _Jesus_ , I can only imagine what this must have looked like before I became the picture of debauchery.” Giggling, his eyes trailed lower and his cheeks flushed redder. “I’m... a little sloppy, huh?” Turning his head to look at Light, L said with a smile, “I’m ready to get out of this now. Will you show me the pictures you took later?”

 

Light admired the ropes too as L turned in front of the mirror, grinning. “Oh, that’s just the way I like you. I’ll gladly show you the pictures later but I have to say…” He tilted his head and held his fingers out in front of him like two Ls pressed into a square, “...I think I prefer this.” He dropped his hands with a laugh, moving to step behind L and undo the bindings.

 

As Light flirted, L smiled, thinking to himself, _I hope I never get tired of this. I always want to feel this special to him._ “I still want to see them,” he said with a laugh, holding still as Light began untying him. “And I’m not going to lie, I’m _really_ curious to watch that video later. I honestly wasn’t expecting that. Did you change the password to get into your pictures and videos yet? I figured you would appreciate the extra security measures.” He paused, and then added, “And I don’t know if I told you, but there’s also an option for you to add your fingerprints as a secondary entry method.” L was pretty proud of _that_ little program - just because he wasn’t as good at computers as Watari and Matt were didn’t mean he couldn’t come up with some nifty little things, himself, and that security program was one he’d written for his _own_ phone when it became clear he would have to interact face to face with people on this case; as such, it was more advanced than the usual iPhone security measures, _and_ allowed for encryption. He figured Light was already taking advantage of _that_. Giggling, L said teasingly, “I’ll be honest, I never exactly intended that for the purpose of sending you risque pictures, or you _taking_ them, but I’m absolutely _not_ going to complain about that particular use.”

 

Light pulled the end of the rope through the large knot in the back and loosened the tie at L’s wrists, taking his time as he uncoiled and gently pulled at each knot and loop at his back, stomach, and chest. Doing this too fast could result in something nasty like a rope burn or pinched skin, so he was methodical even though he knew L was anxious to be free. It took about five minutes before everything was undone, and Light wrapped the rope back up and set it on the counter. “There, feel a little better now?” L’s body would be marked by the pressure of the rope for probably another hour or so, given his pale skin. “Doesn’t look like I bruised you anywhere.” He looked over L’s body, tracing the remaining pink lines with his fingertips, “This is just rope flush, goes away in a little while and shouldn’t be sensitive or painful. Just your skin responding to the pressure.” It looked kind of hot actually, a reminder of where each loop had been.

 

Once the rope was off, though he had thoroughly enjoyed being bound, L couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief at having the use of his arms again, stretching carefully and rolling his neck and shoulders to try and work out some of the stiffness. For a moment, the pink lines in his skin where the rope had been gave him pause, but if Light said they would go away… “It almost looks like branding, or tattoos,” L said, a light shiver going through him at the way Light’s fingers traced along his skin, glancing sidelong at him now. “And I suppose I feel better. I’m not used to being unable to use my hands. It was… frustrating and… somewhat liberating at the same time.”

 

Light stared at the collar that L was still wearing. Quietly, “What about _that?_ ” The key was in his pants pocket in the living room, so he hovered at the door to see what L wanted to do.

 

L smiled when he saw Light’s gaze go to the collar. “Oh…” Lifting his fingers, he ran them lightly along the collar, tilting his head to study it in the mirror. That had been one of the only things he had missed when he decided he was over his ‘phase’, was the collar. _Clearly, I wasn’t over it, I just got lazy._ “I would _like_ to keep it on, but… maybe not in the bath. I don’t want to ruin it.”

 

Tilting his head the other way, he smiled slightly, musing aloud, “I wonder if I can find some sort of… chain accessory to clip to the rings to match my....” His eyes widened, and he grinned, murmuring mostly to himself, “ _Wait._ I can actually _use_ one of the chains on my old boots. Then they really _will_ match.”

 

Light’s eyes went wide when he heard L talking about clipping _chains_ to the collar, blurting out, “Your boots have chains?!” He groaned internally, thinking how hot that collar would look like that, envisioning how he’d just want to yank L around by it and…

 

Looking up, L began laughing at Light’s reaction. It was adorable. Grinning, he drifted over to the tub, calling out to Light as the teen went to the living room, “Yeah, my old stompy boots have a bunch of D rings along the sides, and each boot has two chains on them. I still have them, just haven’t worn them for years. If I had known I was going to buy the collars this morning, I might have brought the boots along for the concert, but I _also_ didn’t know you were dressing up in a sexy version of the Edward Scissorhands outfit.”

 

Light blinked, remembering he was _supposed_ to be getting the key from his pants. “Uh...yeah, one second, I’ll get the key for the collar.” He went back into the living room, scanning for his pants and finding them bunched up on the floor next to the couch. _Shit, they’re all wrinkled now!_ He sighed, bringing the pants into the bathroom and digging out the key before hanging them over the towel rack. _Hopefully the steam will knock the wrinkles out, else...no, don’t think about it._

 

Hearing movement, L turned back around to see Light hanging up his pants, and let out a soft ‘ahh’ of understanding when he saw the wrinkles. He held still as Light came over to undo the collar, and then said softly, “I have a picture of the boots somewhere on my phone, if you want to give your stamp of approval. If you like them, I’ll have… maybe Aiber pick me up and bring me back to headquarters for a little bit this evening, I can pick up the boots and my laptop… and my hard drive.”

 

Light stepped behind L, fingering the collar a moment before twisting the key in the lock and popping it open. Sliding the lock off, he unbuckled the back and took it off L’s neck with some reluctance. “Pity.” He giggled as he placed it on the counter. “I _certainly_ like the idea of clipping chains to it though. Are you going to do that tomorrow at the concert?” How much music would they be listening to if they couldn’t keep their hands off each other? _Not that I’m going to complain about that._ “And is that your _personal_ drive?”

 

L grinned, a little disappointed when the collar went onto the counter. “I know there are a few things you’d like to see on that hard drive, and I believe you also wanted to see pictures of my rebellious teenager phase… I may have some buried somewhere. But… _Yes._ If you’re going to torture _me_ with something sexy, you can absolutely _bet_ that I am going to be clipping chains to that collar, now I know how much you like the idea.”

 

Light raised an eyebrow, “Ah, so the mysterious pictures of L’s rebellious phase _do_ exist.” He gave L a sexy smirk, “A brat _and_ a liar? Hmm. More things to add to your list of expected punishments for next time I guess.” He hummed happily when L said he’d be wearing those chains on his collar, eyes going to L’s naked neck and imagining it. “It’ll be fun dressing up together, blending into the crowd and just dancing. I’ll _try_ to keep from molesting you in the dark, but can’t make any firm promises about it.”

 

The tub was nearly full, and Light stepped into the hot water with a grateful sigh. “God yes…” He slid down in the water, easily deep enough to submerge his whole head under, popping back up with a grin. He giggled and splashed at L, “I want to see those pictures, AND the videos you have of me. I have a feeling we’ll need a real video camera with our mutual love of voyeurism.” He held a hand out to L to help him into the water if he needed it. “Come get in! I want to hear all the ways my stupid shinigami annoyed you instead of me for a while. Oh...and yes I did appreciate the extra security features on my phone. The password’s ‘Genghis.’” He hadn’t gotten around to setting up the fingerprint scan feature yet, but the encryption had been in place since the moment he’d started to use it.

 

L didn’t need to be asked twice, and he took Light’s hand, carefully lowering himself into the hot water, groaning as the heat soaked into him. “This… is _heaven_ ,” he murmured, settling carefully down against the side. After a long moment, he glanced over to Light, giggling in delight. “‘Genghis’... I like that. Ryuk showed me that trick as well, when I asked what the Death Note first looked like. Answered a couple of the questions I had in the back of my head with that demonstration, even, because I had _wanted_ to ask him about the other times the death note came to our world too. I had just forgotten those questions. I _think_ … even if he’s not intelligent in the way you and I are, he might be a little more perceptive than you make him out to be.” Pausing, L asked quietly, “How much has Ryuk _told_ you about the other worlds?” That was something he was _incredibly_ curious to know more about, but in all fairness, it wasn’t exactly relevant to their situation right now, so that was _all_ it was.   


Light became a little more serious and listened closely as L told him that Ryuk divulged a few of the things that Light had also found exciting to learn from the shinigami. “You’re right about Ryuk…” He reached for the soap, trailing it across his skin and rubbing the bubbles in. “I joke that he’s some idiot trickster god but...I know very well he’s not. It might be that I prefer to think of him that way given his promise to me.” That thought sobered him, that he liked to think of Ryuk as a friend but maybe it wasn’t like that at all. “He’s been watching humans an extremely long time, has a way of picking up on facial expressions, nuanced movements, emotions...it’s uncanny sometimes how well he reads me and others.” _And nobody’s been able to read me, save for you._ He rinsed the soap away, taking some shampoo. “Words aren’t as much his forte. He told me that there are portals in their realm that they watch humans from, but they don’t listen closely to what humans say. He’s learned languages, some even long dead to modern human ears, but it was picked up haphazardly during his stints on earth. Never really talked to people and from what he says, all the shinigami have an apathetic enmity to one another.” _Well, that’s not exactly true._ “He did have one friend that died. A shinigami named Gelus. Still seems a little pissed off about it, he probably told you _why_ that was.” _And I have a feeling he’s not letting on how really pissed off he is about it. Imagine having one friend for eternity, and then they were just dust._

 

Light dunked under the water to rinse his hair, shaking it out and pushing it from his face. “I should ask him to tell us more about what other worlds are out there. He says he’s only been to a _handful_ of them.” Light had taken that to mean that there were probably _many_ , perhaps in parallel universes or far off planets, he didn’t really know. “But one thing I do know is that he talks about ‘mortal’ worlds as separate from another kind. His race has preyed on the lives of mortals other than humans, at least at one time they did, although humans seems to be a perennial favorite and the most interesting to them.” He laughed, “Or maybe we’re just the easiest pickings.”

 

 _His promise to you…  yes. About that._ L refrained from interrupting, interested to know some of the other things Ryuk had told _Light_ before he spilled his own revelations. And he was glad he did, because the idea that there were worlds out there that were considered _immortal_ in some capacity _definitely_ piqued his interest. _Ugh, but that’s not what we need to talk about. Focus._ Sighing, L said quietly, “Yes. He told me about Gelus. Mentioned to me that the king hadn’t told any of the shinigami about the restriction on extending a human’s…” Pausing, he amended, “Or rather, a _mortal’s_ life. Which tells me that either this king is a petty tyrant, which fits his habit of making up rules when he’s bored… or that even the shinigami don’t understand the breadth and scope of the death note. And _that_ tells me that there’s a possibility that the death note did not originate in the shinigami realm, which… actually makes a lot of sense.”   


Light’s brow furrowed as he heard L’s deductions about the shinigami king, all of that was news to him. “Their king didn’t _tell_ them how to use the death note and not die?” He leaned back against the tub, nodding in agreement that the king was probably even worse than the few offhand insults Ryuk had lobbed now and again. “I guess that makes sense, Ryuk told me he only wrote the rules he knew of in the death note. That even he didn’t know them all.” His mind was whirring now, seeing that L had been probing Ryuk for loopholes related to those rules. _And how shinigami can die, how Rem could die…_

  
Taking some soap, L ducked under the water and idly began soaping himself off. He was actually a little surprised that Light _hadn’t_ known that bit of trivia about the king, but he only nodded at Light’s comments. That tracked with everything Ryuk had told him. “By the way, Light… Ryuk told me there are two more ways shinigami can die. For instance… did you know that other shinigami are unable to kill a human attached to a death note?” He held his breath, staring hard at Light, hoping that he was correct in his assumption that Light _didn’t_ know that tidbit. “Rem literally cannot try to kill you without killing herself.”

 

Light looked up sharply when L said some _extremely_ interesting. Softly, “You’re kidding me…” _That big winged beetle! I’m going to...no better not._ He sat up, unblinking now as he stared across the water at L. “Rem can’t kill me?” A glimmer of relief spread over his face but it just as quickly fell. “That’s...I certainly didn’t know that.” Quietly, “Even if she can’t kill me, she can...hurt other people I love.” _Make me wish she had killed me._ Light swam close to L, wrapping his arms around him as a sudden pang of panic took hold. “You have to be careful never to let Misa see you again, L. We can’t let them know your name and give them another weapon against us both.”

 

The way Light reacted to that bit of news brought a twinge of satisfaction to L, though it quickly died away when Light made those comments about Rem. _Going after his loved ones… Ryuk suggested as much._ The thought made him cringe. He nodded, whispering, “I’m aware.” He wrapped his arms around Light, resting his forehead against the teen’s shoulder. “I promise you, I will do my best to be careful, Light. And… much as you might not want to hear about him right now, I _do_ have an idea regarding that, though it will really only give us information about Misa.” L paused, not really _wanting_ to bring Watari up, but knowing it was necessary, and said, “I want to have Watari put a tail on Misa Amane. A team, to monitor her 24/7. Every move she makes, everything she eats or drinks, everywhere she _goes_ , we can know about it in real time. That will be the only way we can comfortably move around together in public, is if we know where she is at all times. This is how I can protect myself.”

 

Light sighed and nodded, “I agree, it’s the only way we can avoid where she is, although a team will need to be very careful. It was Ryuk who tipped me off that Raye was following me around, and I wouldn’t put it past Rem to do the same for her. There’s no rule broken by doing that, apparently.” He sucked in a breath, an idea coming to mind, “Have them wear masks that partially occlude their face. Or just good disguises. She needs to see the whole face to see the name, and Rem cannot tell her the names of humans.” _Raye never did that, never thought to hide his face, although he should have._ “It wouldn’t be a bad idea for you to get some big sunglasses too, for when we’re out.”

 

L blinked at the information that it had been _Ryuk_ who had noticed the tail, but of course it had been. For a moment, he felt a twinge of regret, but he pushed it away. _Nothing either of us can do about that now._ “I suppose you’ll say I should probably change up my look a little bit, too, along with sunglasses. Are you just trying to get me to be more stylish? So you won’t be embarrassed to be seen with your style-less boyfriend?” He stuck his tongue out briefly at the teen, smiling slightly, and hoped Light would understand why he was trying to lighten the mood. “Of course, Light, I’ll make sure that information gets across.”

 

L’s reaction to Light’s nonchalant mention of Raye and the FBI agents made Light feel suddenly guilty; he’d become so used to just speaking his mind honestly that he’d somehow forgotten those were _L’s_ people he’d killed and of course that must have made him very angry. _They were going to expose me, I didn’t feel like I had a choice._ He didn’t get the feeling like L wanted to talk about it though, so he swallowed his rationalizations and was grateful for L’s joke. Smiling back, “I want you to wear whatever you want to and feel comfortable in, and I’m _never_ embarrassed to be seen with you. Lack of style or not.” He laughed quietly, kissing L on the cheek, “Plus you know if it were up to me you’d never wear any clothes, so it’s a moot point.”

 

It was nice to know that his light teasing had been appreciated, and L smiled. He had seen that brief flicker of guilt flash across Light’s face, which he’d been trying to avoid. _We both did bad things to protect ourselves, you don’t have to try and rationalize anything to me._ “I… think there are lots of people who might take issue with me walking around naked all the time, but I’m happy you like me that way.”

 

“I wonder why Ryuk didn’t tell me all this, and why he told you?” Light looked down at the water, wondering if Ryuk had kept it to himself on purpose due to the high entertainment value of Misa, or if perhaps Ryuk was hoping that Rem _would_ try and kill him thus killing herself. Or maybe it didn’t really become relevant until his relationship with L, given Misa’s prior threats about killing anyone he dated.

 

Gently, L said, “I… suspect part of the reason Ryuk never told you... _may_ have been because of your reluctance to think about his eventual claim on your life. Considering how observant he is, I imagine he could see how much that bothers you.” He paused, hesitating before saying in a much quieter voice, “He and I share a great deal in common, actually. Both of us dislike seeing you in pain. Both of us want to protect you as best we can, even if that manifests in different ways. The only reason he told _me_ is because I told _him_ of my desire to help and protect you, and that I wanted to find a way to eliminate Rem.”

 

Light was slightly amazed at the impression that Ryuk had given L, that he wanted to _protect_ him and didn’t like to see him in pain? And he told L those things about shinigami to try and help them kill Rem? “If that’s true…something must have changed recently, because if he felt that way he was pretty good at hiding it.” _But is that true?_ Thoughtfully, “But I will admit that he’s helped me quite a few times. For all his talk about neutrality, there’s only been one side he’s ever done that for.” He smiled at L, genuinely happy the detective seemed to be getting along with Ryuk. “That’s interesting that you two have some things in common. He likes human music quite a bit too, and I can’t even imagine what would happen if you started introducing him to apple desserts.”

 

L smiled at that, looking down with a bemused expression on his face. _Like that toffee apple I got him? Or apple crumble?_ _We have a lot more in common than that, Light._ He snorted and added quickly, cheeks reddening slightly, “Ryuk seems to like making me laugh in public. I might have looked a little crazy.” Clearing his throat, he focused back on the conversation at hand. “Do you know how much he _hates_ Rem?”

 

Light shook his head. “He’s never seemed particularly warm towards her, but I’ve only seen those two shinigami together, so thought maybe it was normal. I wonder why…” _Does Ryuk hate Rem because of what she’s playing with Misa against me or because of something else? Blames her for Gelus’ death?_

 

“Because Rem was there when Gelus died and did nothing, and then she turned right around and gave his death note to Misa, I would imagine,” L said quietly, looking away.

 

“I didn’t think about it that way. That Rem took Gelus’ note to the person who, I guess in Ryuk’s eyes, killed him. Probably a bitter pill.” _Yeah, I guess I understand now why he’d have a grudge._ Light pulled back sheepishly, his curiosity returning. “What are the other ways Ryuk said shinigami could die? Are there any we could use against Rem?” He bit his lip, wondering if there was some way he could get Rem angry enough to write his own name, but knowing in his heart she was too sly to do that.

 

L pulled Light up slightly, giving him a soft kiss, and a thrill of excitement went through him, because _there_ was the question he’d been waiting for, the information he was absolutely _sure_ Light had no reason to ask about. His smile widened into something perhaps a little evil. “You know about the no sex rule. Ryuk let slip that it’s punishable by _death_.”

 

Light’s first reaction to L bringing up the no-sex rule for shinigami was to laugh, like _why of all things did you ask him that?_ But he stopped abruptly, lips parting at the realization that breaking that rule wasn’t some light punishment but resulted in _death._ “Holy shit....”

 

That was the reaction L had _hoped_ for. “According to Ryuk, that rule has only gone into effect recently… though I suspect recent for him is different than recent for _us_. I’d wager it was put into place, oh… about twenty-four years ago. Give or take about a year.” _Probably sometime AFTER he was born, though._ “Because a shinigami had sex with a human witch… and it resulted in a child. Ryuk called him an abomination. Because he has the shinigami eyes… and Ryuk thinks he cannot be killed with the death note.”

 

Light could do nothing but blink and stare as L went on, mind reeling that not only had shinigami come to earth _recently_ and conceived a child, but _witches_ exist? Learning something new and unexpected was always a thrill for him, and even though the information was odd and disturbing, he couldn’t help but grin.

 

L’s eyes gleamed as he thought of something, breath coming fast as his fists clenched. “I don’t know if he can, but I checked yesterday. You tried to kill a man calling himself Beyond Birthday with the death note. He is still alive. He is half shinigami. And I _know_ him. I know for a _fact_ he has the eyes, because I met him when I was twelve, and he knew my full name when he couldn’t _possibly_ have had any idea who I was. His real first name, according to Ryuk, is Bernael.” _And if he can’t be killed using the Death Note… I know how we can get to Misa. If I can convince B to work with me._ “Not only that, but if Beyond is half-shinigami, I can almost _guarantee_ that there have been others in the past. Maybe long ago, but it seems ludicrous to assume he is the first one to ever exist. Especially when Ryuk told me that shinigami used to, uhhh... _mate_ with humans a lot more.”

 

“This is so _wild_ ...wait, WHAT?!” A shocked look formed on Light’s face when L mentioned _that_ name, he remembered writing it months ago, the crimes had been very memorable due to the strange circumstances and mysterious motives. _The child of the shinigami grew up and became a murderer, and one that L knows?_ A whisper, “You KNOW Beyond Birthday?And Ryuk knows him too?”

 

“Ryuk… knew _of_ him. Apparently before the Kira versus L battle, B’s - _Beyond’s_ spree was the big entertainment among some shinigami. Beyond versus L.” Shrugging, L couldn’t help but think wryly, _though I doubt the shinigami gave a vanilla mortal like me a second thought._

 

Light moved back to slump against the side of the tub, fingers ghosting over his face as the shock passed and he took in the meaning of that. “L, that can _not_ be a coincidence. But if it’s true that he can’t be killed with the death note….he’s out of Kira’s reach but also…” _Also out of Rem’s._ Turning back to L, excited now, “Is he your friend? Could we convince him to help set a trap for Rem? If Rem believes Misa is in danger from him, she might try to write his name in the heat of the moment.” The notion that there had likely been other half-shinigami other than this person was something amazing, something he’d have to look into later, but the most pressing questions for their current situation revolved around the half-shinigami L _knew._ “How exactly do you _know_ him?”

 

When Light lodged that barrage of questions at him, L had to pause and think how to answer him. _Oh, Light… it’s not going to be that simple._ “I… he was a…” Hesitating, L looked down. _Might as well start with basic background first. It’s important to… understand._ He said quietly, “Watari… the orphanage and school he runs has two different levels of schooling. There’s the orphans who go through the regular schooling, and learn all the skills they need to go to post-secondary, get jobs, or the like. Once they graduate, they leave the orphanage and make their own way.”

 

Taking a deep breath, he let it out slowly and then went on in a quieter voice, “And then there’s the successor program.” _Light isn’t going to like this._ “For the brightest students at the school. They get highly specialized training on _top_ of the regular schooling; multiple language classes, how to create and break down codes and ciphers, instruction in multiple forms of combat, data collection and analysis, forensics, just to give a few examples. Anything you can think of that a detective might need to know, they learn it. All so that if something were to ever happen to _me_ , there would be someone ready to take over right away.” L stopped talking for a moment, trying to compose himself. When he finally started speaking again, he laughed, the sound bitter to his ears. “Watari started the program when I was _twelve years old_. I didn’t want it to happen in the first place, but he convinced me it was a good idea by dangling the opportunity to hone my skills even more. So I agreed to it. I already _knew_ a lot of what they were teaching the others, because I had a three-year head start on actually _being_ a detective, and had been immersed in that world for half of my life by that point, but I sat in on the classes that caught my interest.”

 

Glancing up, L gave Light a tiny, sheepish smile and said, “That’s where B comes in. He was one of the first orphans tapped for the program. Along with another few, all going by letter designations. A was my first successor, the first one tapped and the oldest of the group, highly skilled in every area. B was next in line. Of the others… the only other one I ever had any interaction with was C.” _And that was a disaster_. His expression twisted uncomfortably at that, and he sighed before saying, “I was only partially around while the program was going on, because I was traveling every so often for cases, but I left permanently the week after I turned sixteen, and I found out later that A _died_ .” _Killed himself._ The little white lie made him twitch, but he couldn’t bring himself to correct it, not just yet. _Couldn’t take the pressure of being my successor, according to the report._ “B… I heard that shortly after A’s death, he started raising hell, making scenes, and got kicked out. And then years later, when he showed up in L.A… I knew he was trying to get my attention. I still don’t know why, I never went to visit him in prison after his capture, and during the case, I was under the impression he was trying to _kill_ me.” _I still feel terrible for what happened to A - from what I knew from the idle gossip around Wammy’s, A was his only friend._ Shaking his head, L sighed. “You’re right. I don’t believe any of this is a coincidence, either. But I’m going to have a hell of a time convincing him to help. He probably hates me for putting him away, and what happened to A.”

 

A chill went through Light as L started to talk about a ‘program’ at Watari’s school that was training future _children_ to be detectives like L had become. Conflict and discomfort were written all over L’s face, making Light pause and just listen until he was finished before touching L’s arm gently. He didn’t want his borderline horror to come across as strongly as he was feeling it, imagining childhoods and innocence stolen and for what? To carry on if L were to die? How could Watari think so casually about L’s death as if it were something soon and inevitable, badger him into agreeing to put children through some gauntlet of training to stand over his grave and take up the mantle of World’s Greatest Detective? _As if L had never existed, not as a person, but just a statue that any competent ghost could inhabit. That’s horrible._

 

It confirmed Light’s earlier reaction, his discomfort at what seemed to concern Watari the most about their relationship. _Disrupting L’s legacy, and Watari’s control over it._ He slid his hand down L’s arm to take his hand, not knowing whether L needed space or comfort right now. Asking questions about these unfortunate children or about the program...Light wasn’t sure if that was a good idea right now with how tense L seemed. “I see, so it sounds like Beyond would be a tough sell to convince to help us. But maybe not impossible. However...if going that route is too difficult for you for other reasons, I’m sure we can figure out another way to deal with Rem. I don’t want to put you in any situation that causes you pain.”

 

“I’m honestly not even sure if he would talk to me,” L said softly, sighing and sidling closer to Light to rest his head on the teen’s shoulder, eyes falling shut. “But... I don’t really see any good options to deal with Rem. And if I’m going to be perfectly honest... I should try and talk to him. He _must_ have had a reason to try and get my attention, even if it was just to try and prove he was better than me at something.” But that didn’t _sound_ like B. Not completely. He had never shared any classes with him, true, but he remembered hearing about B’s progress and from all the commentary, he’d been strangely intense and creepy, but he had never been _that_ vindictive until A died. “I don’t know anymore. The more I think about everything I’ve seen, and everything that has happened, with you, with _me_ , the way our paths have intersected unknowingly at important points in our lives... I think B is important to us, going forward.”

 

Light gave L a thoughtful look, and somehow sensed that past the things L was saying was an inner battle that maybe he’d reveal at a later moment. “It probably wouldn’t hurt just to talk to the man. I remember when I wrote his name, or what I _thought_ was his name, he was in a prison in the US….Los Angeles I think.” Light assumed that if L had checked then Beyond Birthday was still there, securely locked up. He smiled a little, tracing a finger down L’s cheek, “You’re L, I’m sure you can arrange to speak privately with whoever you need to, especially if you were the one who caught him in the first place.” _Oh, but he’s going to be angry about that I imagine._ “So, you think the motives for his murders were to get your attention? I wonder why…” The look on L’s face seemed like L himself didn’t even know. “Very little other than the reporting of the murders and their circumstances were in the public press. That must have not been public knowledge, but a lot of things related to that case weren’t. After he was caught, it was like the press just forgot about him.” That had struck Light as a little odd when he’d been trolling through his Dad’s hacked computer for cases and names; so much from that case had been redacted but he’d been so busy in the beginning he’d just moved on to the next name.

 

L looked up at Light helplessly and shrugged, leaning into that light touch. “I don’t know, Light,” he said quietly. “This is… this whole thing is a very sticky situation, and I’m still trying to figure out how badly I might have fucked things up. At the close of the case, I was operating under certain assumptions that letting anyone talk to him would reveal information that couldn’t be public knowledge - like, oh, for instance, that the infamous ‘L’ is a real person, and only _just_ out of his teens? I would have lost all credibility. Watari had also informed me that, under no circumstances could information about Wammy’s be allowed to get out, and there was obviously no guarantee that Beyond wouldn’t spill everything he knew about the place.”

 

He fell quiet, frowning as he thought about that more carefully. Why the hell would Watari have _cared_ , unless there was something to hide aside from just training children to be detectives? What had that ‘training’ entailed, exactly? L knew about most of it, he was sure, but maybe there had been other things going on he hadn’t been privy to. “I squashed any and all requests from _everyone,_ from the FBI to the press, to get a statement from him and had him thrown in a cell, let only the basic facts of the murders be made public, and never bothered to give him any of my time. I think… I think now that I was too afraid of what I might hear if I went to talk to him. So…”

 

Light kept quiet about Watari’s likely motivations for suppressing such statements or not wanting L and Beyond to talk. It sounded like Beyond had quite a different view of the ‘successor program’ than Watari. _Best leave that alone for now._ “Since you already know about shinigami eyes, I assume that Ryuk told you about the deal?” Light snorted, remembering his own discussion with Ryuk about it and how he’d turned it down curtly, not even considered it seriously. “A shinigami can take half your remaining life in exchange for that power, but I never even entertained the idea.” He laughed, smiling at L, “I told Ryuk then that it was too bad he wasn’t offering _wings_ , or I might have taken it.” He’d been _mostly_ joking at the time but it certainly would have made him think harder about giving an outright ‘no.’ “Which brings up another interesting test, if Beyond Birthday really does have the eyes. The way that Misa found me, knew I was Kira, is because I have no lifespan to such eyes. He would notice that too if he really had them, just like she did.”

 

Glancing up at Light again, L smiled a little sheepishly, mentally kicking himself for forgetting to ask Ryuk such a simple question. He’d been so preoccupied by some of the more obscure knowledge he’d been receiving the other day that he had completely ignored the basic details he needed. _Like the shinigami eye deal._ “... By the way, I sincerely hope you are _joking_ about the wings. Conspicuous much?” The slight teasing only made him feel better for a moment, and when it passed, L’s shoulders slumped and he shook his head. “This is going to require a little planning. It sounds like this is something I’m going to need to do behind Watari’s back, and I’ve never been good at lying to him.” _Maybe I’m just not as good at lying, in general, as I thought I was._ “But also, if you want to be there to test whether he _does_ , in fact, have the eyes we’re going to need a _damn_ good reason for me to be taking you to the US for a week or two… Because I might need that long to get anything useful from Beyond, and that might require giving him something in exchange. And I can’t think of any plausible reason for you to go with me, at least not off the top of my head.” _Though I suppose it would make more sense to just bring him here. But Watari is here._

 

Light shifted in the bath, feeling L’s anxious dread at sneaking around Watari written plainly across his face, and that made him feel very nervous. _Misa could find Watari’s name, if L won’t tell me. The more I hear about him, the more red flags it raises and the less confident I feel in him._ It was a very sore temptation to find out Watari’s name and hold it over the man’s head to do what he and L wanted, to provide no resistance or threat of exposure. But L obviously cared for the older man whether Watari deserved it or not. He couldn’t help but feel that L had misjudged the situation, and that gave Light pause. There was nothing to say about it that would help the situation or just make L feel bad so he held his tongue. _What’s done is done._

 

Cooly, “There’s no point in fabricating some ‘plausible reason’ because neither of us are going anywhere.” Light didn’t relish the thought of trekking to some dank prison halfway across the world, nor being deprived L’s company to do that by himself. “Beyond Birthday is the tool, and should come to us.” He swam back to the other side of the tub, draping his arms over the sides as a little smile formed at the edge of his lips. “Do you really think I’m going to let some prison rat deprive me of my right to fuck you silly on a whim?” Smiling for real, “No. Barbeque Blunderbus can come to Japan and wait for _us_ to decide what we want to do with him. And things could get _much_ worse for him.” Tilting his head to the side, iron in his eyes now, “Or maybe they might get better, if he does what we ask.” He still had Misa on a string, for now, and even if he felt restrained to use her eyes on Watari, he might just get Beyond’s full and real name through her. Light could give it another go to write his name in the death note, or just make a damn good play of it. “I’ll bet he doesn’t even know what shinigami or death notes _are_ .” _And doesn’t know he’s immune to it._ Voice lowering, an evil little expression on his face now, “But I guarantee you he’s heard of Kira.” _Especially if he’s been in prison, there’s no way he hasn’t. Every prisoner knows they are sitting ducks for me._ “Probably thought he was safe, hiding behind some fake ass name. Well, maybe I’ll just snatch that safety blanket away, and see what happens.”

 

There was certainly the possibility that Beyond would call his bluff, and if so? Then it would be clear to everyone he was immune to the note, if it got that far. Both he and L would have to leverage something else to gain his cooperation, which L could certainly do with creature comforts or even with a release from prison. _Ugh, must such a murderer go free?_ He hummed, thinking that a violent person with shinigami eyes might not be the worst asset in the world for Kira to have, especially once Misa and her abilities were not available to him anymore.

 

L blinked at Light, unable to help his feeling that he had done or said something wrong. _Does he think I’m trying to overcorrect for my past mistakes? I suppose that might actually be the case._ Still, Light’s cool demeanor surprised him a little, and even though the comment about ‘fucking him silly’ got a genuine laugh from him, he quickly sobered up, looking down at his hands now as he listened to Light. “You’re right,” he said softly, trying to decide how he felt right now. Aside from completely shook. _It might take me a little while to get my confidence back after this shock. Maybe it’s a good thing I took two days away from things, maybe this will help me process and de-stress._ “Light… I’m…” _I need some time._ “Whatever we decide to do about all of this... I can’t… I _won’t_ make any decisions this weekend. Can you handle that? I’ve already made a bad call, and have had to question a lot of things in a very short amount of time, and I don’t know how long it’s going to take me to deal with that. We can discuss whatever you want, but I think making any big decisions on certain things-” _Watari, Beyond._ “-is off the table until I’m in a better headspace.”

 

L looked back up at Light, fixing him with a thoughtful stare. “And… I certainly _hope_ you can understand that.” He didn’t want to feel forced into a decision too quickly, especially now he knew what that looked like. He knew that wasn’t what Light was doing, and it _did_ make more sense to bring B _here_ , especially since _he_ had been thinking along the same lines as Light already, but he needed to make absolutely _sure_ that he was thinking things through and not just making decisions based on what _other people_ wanted. A small smile spread across his face as he added, “Also, I have decided that our transportation to the concert tomorrow might need to be downgraded considerably. I hope that you won’t be too disappointed if we have to take the train, instead?”

 

Light didn’t quite understand what was happening in L’s head, but he felt confused by L’s sudden indecisiveness. No, it wasn’t even indecisiveness, just the _refusal_ to make decisions. Words like _can’t_ and _won’t_ and _off the table_ were very bitter pills to him, roadblocks that he wasn’t used to thinking about before. “Can I handle not coming to any decision this weekend? It doesn’t sound like I have a choice from what you say.” The past few months since he’d been Kira were predicated on being able to make quick decisions, to adapt and change and plan-- these were all things he thought he could do better with L, not slow him. _He hopes I can understand that? Understand what exactly?_ “I think if you are asking me to delay the very thing at the forefront of my mind because of your headspace, then you need to tell me what is bothering you so much.”

 

L stared at him for a panicked moment, at a loss for what to say, eyes downcast as his smile disappeared. _I’m not good at being open about these things yet._ Even though he _knew_ he was being irrational, even though Light hadn’t said it that way, it _felt_ like a reprimand. _It’s not, it’s NOT, breathe and calm down, and then explain._

 

Light didn’t care about silly things like how they were getting to the concert right now, he’d be fine walking there if he had to and he took the train on a daily basis. _I guess he wants to avoid Watari, but that’s really not possible. Plus, it’s not a good idea to look like we’re avoiding him. The moment we act like we’re hiding is the moment he really becomes a danger._ “Is the ‘bad call’ you’re referring to Watari? Because I don’t hold it against you at all if so. I understand you wanting to tell him and trust him, because you care for him.” He tried to catch L’s eyes and smile, trying to get across that he didn’t blame L, “Same reason I told _you_.”

 

“It is,” L confirmed with a soft sigh, rubbing at the bridge of his nose and squeezing his eyes shut. “I… I know you don’t. _I_ hold it against _myself_. I’ve made a lot of decisions in the last decade based on heavy input from Watari, because I trusted him, perhaps blindly, to know what was best, even when sometimes my gut instincts were telling me to do things another way.” He looked up, and caught the tail end of Light’s smile, giving him a tiny smile back. “Like my gut instinct to go to you Wednesday night, to trust that you wouldn’t hurt me. I had absolutely _no_ idea how that was going to turn out, I just knew that I had to go and see what happened.” Shrugging, he spread his hands, grinning slightly. “I have no regrets there, except maybe for being a stubborn, dodgy ass at points… but that’s how I was taught to be by Watari. I have some things to unlearn, there.”

 

Frowning now, L was silent a moment as he tried to figure out how to say what the main problem was. “I suppose… what’s bothering me, overall, is that I didn’t see what was happening. That it took you pointing it out to me how much Watari treats me like a child, like someone who can’t _make_ my own decisions. And maybe I just didn’t _want_ to see it, but I can’t go on as I have any more now that I’m aware of it. But… I also didn’t realize just how much I have relied on him for everything, and that’s not good. It’s informed a lot of my habits, and there have been times where I’ve felt forced into decisions too quickly based on what other people decide is best. It may have been causing me to want to _over_ correct on the mistakes I’ve made.”

 

Light listened closely, just letting L speak his mind and not interrupting. He could see it wasn’t easy, or maybe just new, for L to be open about what was on his mind, especially things that disturbed him. _There’s no hiding from each other anymore, and I don’t want to._ He understood the habit of closing off perfectly, had himself preferred to hide his internal state due to the power it gave to others over him. Although he was just starting to comprehend how shaken L was by what Light had sensed in Watari, and what a pillar of support (the only one?) the man had been to L. Having that pillar questioned brought L’s whole life into question, how he’d operated in the past and had to adapt going forward. But it was clear that L couldn’t rely on Watari in the same way going forward if he and Light were going to work together, because Watari appeared to have differing priorities. Not to say that they had to hide _everything_ , and Light hoped they wouldn’t have to, but it was important to Light that Watari’s perspective didn’t muddy their waters. He wondered if maybe the reason that L’s gut had clashed in the past with Watari’s wishes was due to those differing perspectives--- Watari wanted to protect the legacy, L wanted to protect himself.

 

L gave Light a guilty look. “I’m sorry. I’m not trying to slow you down. I just want to make sure that any decisions we make together are made with total confidence, and right now, my confidence is a little shaken. Give me just a little time to process, away from the stressors, and I should be fine very shortly.”

  
Light smiled across the tub at L, “I really appreciate you opening up to me, and while I won’t lie and say I understand, I do trust your judgment _and_ your gut. Just my opinion, but I think you have every reason to listen to it given the outcomes of doing so. Plus, your gut told you I was Kira when no one would have believed you, isn’t that proof enough?”

 

L found himself tearing up at Light’s endorsement, and he hurriedly wiped at his eyes as he said quietly, “Thank you, Light. That… means a lot to me.” He managed a smile as he looked up again, and it was genuine if a little shaky. Pushing himself up out of the water, still moving a little stiffly despite everything, he said “So, one of the things that always helps me think a little more clearly is sugar. That tiramisu is calling my name. Please join me?” _Please, Light. Please just give me today to get the shock out of my system._

 

Light laughed softly at the mention of the tiramisu, pulling the drain and following L out of the tub. “Alright. Take the time you need, L. I don’t want to rush you through anything.” He’d managed to wrangle Misa and Rem this long and stay in the shadows, a little more time for L to adjust to things wasn’t going to do any harm, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delayed update, hope you enjoyed the longer plotty chapter as an apology!


	31. Names

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Light and L’s fun is sidetracked when Ryuk lets slip something Light would rather not dwell on, and the two of them have their first real test of the relationship.

Light grabbed a fluffy towel and dried off, wrapping it around his waist as he headed into the kitchen to get the dessert from the fridge. Noticing it was afternoon already, he called over his shoulder to L, “By the way, probably need to give my father a call and explain where I’ll be, and that I’m joining the team.” His parents were probably expecting he’d be finished with the test soon and would want him to check in.

 

L dried off slowly, aware of Light leaving the room as he closed his eyes and just breathed; _in and out, deep breaths, don’t think, just feel and then let it go._ He was feeling a little calmer when Light called out to him, and he laughed softly. “Yeah,” he murmured to himself, turning and grabbing a bathrobe before limping into the main room, going to find his phone in his coat pocket. “I guess I probably _should_ do that, huh?” _And hang up my coat, I’m not a complete heathen._ “Do you want to talk to him as well, when I get him on the phone?”

 

A thought occurred to him as he was hanging his coat in the closet, and he came over to curl up on the couch, clutching his phone. “Huh. I just realized that if I go back to get anything today, I’m going to have to try to get Aiber to distract the others, or it might be kind of obvious what kind of ‘briefing’ we’re doing. I don’t think we want your father to find out about us like _that_.” _Damn. How do I get my stuff here, then? Maybe…_

 

Light set the tiramisu and some forks on the small table by the couch, dragging it closer so they could relax and snack. He blushed a little looking around the room, sex toys were scattered around and there was still a huge wet spot on the rug. “Um, let me tidy up in here before you call my Dad, else I’m going to start choking or something.” He giggled, kissing L’s head as he walked around the room and gathered the pieces of clothing and other items, bringing them into the bedroom. _Ok, what to do about the puddle of come..._ Light sighed and took a hand towel and flung it on the spot, frowning down at it before starting to giggle loudly. “Oh shit, this isn’t really helping.” _Oh well._ He looked up at L, laughing harder as he shrugged and went to sit beside him on the couch.

 

 _Choking?_ L giggled at that, amused by the things that Light seemed to get embarrassed by. He wouldn’t even have batted an eye at speaking to someone over the phone while surrounded by sex toys, though that probably wasn’t normal. He sat up a little, smiling at the way Light kissed him before bustling around the room, and he toyed with his phone before sending a quick text off to Watari. **“** **_It occurs to me that being dropped off at the concert in a limousine might be a little too conspicuous. Since you prize caution, Light and I have decided we’ll catch the train tomorrow instead. Thank you, Watari.”_ **

 

Clicking out of his text messages, he laughed at the defeated amusement rolling off of Light and shifted to cuddle into his side, hair still damp and dripping onto Light’s shoulder. Pointing at the table, L said in a deliberately bland tone, “If we want any champagne today, I suggest we put that back in the fridge later and drink the other bottle first. What do you think?”

 

“Yes! I definitely want champagne later. In fact….” Light looked up to the ceiling, tapping a finger on his lips, “...hmmm, I wonder what kind of drunk L is? Silly? Sloppy? Horny? Inquiring minds need to know.” He giggled at the look on L’s face, picking up the no-longer-chilled bottle to put it back in the fridge. He walked over to the curtains and opened them again, letting the warmth of the afternoon sun spill into the room. He was still only wearing a towel, but they were higher up on this floor than most of the surrounding skyscrapers and so he didn’t feel particularly self-conscious.

 

L snorted at that, rolling his eyes. _Silly, sloppy and horny, doesn’t that just describe me in general when I’m not doing my job?_ “I take it you would like to find _out_ how I get when I’m drunk? Because I have no clue.” A small smirk made its way onto his face and he muttered, “Probably hornier than normal, let's be real.” He hadn’t actually _intended_ Light to put the champagne away, he’d been intending to do it after they made their phone call, and had more brought it up to gauge the teen’s interest in indulging with him later, but he appreciated not having to get up just yet and instead just watched Light move around the room again.

 

Light picked up a fork and tried a bite of the dessert, humming in approval. “This hotel has the best food. I’m going to have to do a ton of sit-ups later to make up for this.” _Or just fuck you some more._

 

Reaching over, L grabbed the other fork and dug into the tiramisu, closing his eyes as the flavour sank into his taste buds. “You’re right, this _is_ the best food. Though I don’t know what you’re talking about, you look amazing.” He poked teasingly at Light’s stomach with the fork, pulling it back immediately when Light gave him a look.

 

Light yelped at the cold metal when L poked him with the fork, smiling and unable to pretend to be annoyed in the face of L’s compliment. “Yeah, I’ll go ahead and speak to my father when you’re done, let him know how the test went and how _excited_ I am to be a part of the Kira investigation team.” He gave L a wink and a sly smile, bringing another bite to his lips. L was right though, he certainly couldn’t go limping back to get his things like _that_ , looking freshly fucked despite the long soak in the tub. “I was going to send Ryuk to get some things from my house, whenever he shows up. If you tell him where to go and bribe him, I’m sure he’ll go and pick up your things as well. You have to describe the object to him and give him permission to take it, else he can’t.” He grinned at L, thinking that Ryuk would definitely approve of stompy boots with chains. “Careful he doesn’t just start wearing those boots himself though.”

 

The suggestion to ask Ryuk made L grin, and he nodded. “I was thinking of either doing that or asking Aiber to pick my stuff up for me and drop it off at the lobby, but if Ryuk is okay with it…” Taking another, larger bite, he chewed thoughtfully for a moment and swallowed before saying, “I’ll be sure to make it clear that his ownership is temporary, and that he’s _not_ allowed to wear them.” He thought about it again and grinned. “They’d work great with the rest of his _look_ , though. I’m surprised he’s not back yet, honestly.” Glancing at his phone, L saw that he’d received a return text from Watari and ignored it for now, glancing at the time. “There’s only a bit of time left for the test.” He took one more bite and clicked into his contacts.

 

Light frowned at his watch on the side table, “I guess Shinji is taking as much time as the test is giving him, huh?” That was like Shinji though, to doubt himself and check and recheck until he _had_ to make a decision or turn work in. “I hope it’s going alright and Ryuk didn’t just get bored and start bubbling in Christmas trees or something.” There was a two liter of apple soda in the refrigerator for Ryuk, the promised payment for his help on this task. “Ryuk’s going to get pissy if we send him right back out after doing me one favor. Maybe we ask him to go get our stuff tomorrow morning and let him play with the video games awhile.” Light turned around and pointed to the Switch sitting on the console under the huge flat screen TV mounted on the wall. “He’s got this obsession with being Bowser in any damn game we play, but Mario Kart is his favorite. Watch out when he’s got the red shells if you ever play with him. Ruthless.”

 

L nodded in acknowledgment when Light suggested they send Ryuk out in the morning. “That’s probably a good idea. I don’t want a pissy Death god on our hands.” L peered over at the console, and mused, “I hope there are at least three controllers, I haven’t played any video games in _years_ , and I don’t want to be left out.” Grinning, “We should _definitely_ play a game with him when he gets back, yeah? We can find out later what games are there.” _But first…_

 

"By the way," Light layed against the end of the couch and poked L in the side with his toe. “Are you going to make me call you ‘boss’ when I join the team?” He gave L a shit-eating grin, cackling to himself. “And isn’t it unethical to screw your employees? Is that how I’m going to get Employee of the Month? Can’t wait to mount the plaque next to my tennis trophies.”

 

L’s thumb was hovering over Soichiro’s number when Light poked him. He gave the teen a mock glare and then laughed. “Nobody calls me ‘boss’. It’s just Ryuzaki.” Slyly, he said, “But _you_ can call me ‘boss’ if you want. It might be a nice ego boost. Just like I suspect _you_ might like it if I called you ‘god’ in bed. Maybe _kami_ ? _Hmm_.” He gave Light a knowing grin before very deliberately placing the call, bringing the phone up to his ear as it rang.

 

The smirk on Light’s face got wiped right off when L said he could call him ‘boss’ in bed...and morphed to open arousal at the thought of L calling him ‘kami.’ _Oh fuck, how did you know?_ He wasn’t able to retort before L was dialing his father, and Light took a deep breath and shifted himself under his towel, trying to push those thoughts from his mind. Muttering quietly, “Damnit, making me talk to my Dad half-hard?” He shot L a tight-lipped grin, trying to think about boring things like baseball statistics or political speeches to calm himself down.

 

Seeing Light’s reaction to his teasing was immensely gratifying, and L had to hold in his laughter, smiling to himself a little wistfully now. _What would have happened if I had found the death note instead of Light? Probably none of this._ He did love to watch Light work, it was fascinating how convincing he could be in the moment, even when L knew the truth of it. _That only an hour or so ago, he had me bound and gagged, pounding me into the couch, rather than innocently talking about a murder investigation. That after this, we’ll be playing music or video games, and getting tipsy and going to a fancy restaurant, and then we’ll be scheming how to come up with interesting deaths of criminals just for the memes._ But Light could play people like a violin, and he did it well. It would be interesting to see what he told Soichiro, L reflected as the phone rang.

 

“Ryuzaki.” Soichiro’s tone was flatly respectful when he answered after the third ring.

 

“Yagami-san, hello. I’m speaking with your son Light about joining the Kira task force and wanted to inform you that he has agreed.” L smiled at Light, eyes dancing in amusement. That he could still do _this_ without letting on that he’d been having an emotional breakdown not half an hour earlier was a good indication that he would recover just fine. It was a relief. “I thought it prudent to inform you also that I require his presence today and tomorrow to bring him completely up to speed, considering how much information there is to cover. I am placing you in charge in my absence, with Watari at your disposal, until I return on Sunday. Is that satisfactory?”

 

Light listened to L’s short but professional-sounding explanation, his father’s deep baritone coming through the receiver. “You’ve asked my son to join the team?” Soichiro sounded surprised but not displeased, if anything there was a hint of pride in his voice as well as some relief that it hopefully indicated that Light wasn’t a suspect anymore. “Well that’s...if he’s agreed to help I think he would be an asset, Ryuzaki. I’m sure he’s honored to have been asked and will appreciate you taking the time to brief him yourself.” He paused a moment, “Is he there? Can I speak with him?”

 

“Yes, of course you may speak with him.” L paused, but chewed on his lip thoughtfully for a moment. “Before I hand the phone over, if you could keep this information to yourself for now, I would greatly appreciate it. I would rather avoid encouraging Matsuda’s penchant for… gossip.”

 

“... Of course, Ryuzaki.” Soichiro’s tone was definitely curious, but it seemed he knew better than to ask for an explanation.

 

When L handed Light the phone, he was blushing slightly at the nice things his father had said, that he thought Light would be an asset. His father’s opinion of him meant the world to Light, which was bittersweet sometimes. _Like now._ “Hi Dad, I guess Ryuzaki told you the news. I’ll be helping you with the case, just like old times.”

 

Soichiro took a more familiar tone with Light, his voice softening from his staunch professionalism for L. “That’s an incredible opportunity, son. He must have seen what a quick mind you have. Where did you meet him?”

 

Light’s eyes flicked to L, he hadn’t explained that part. “He was at the entrance exam to To-Oh, which went great by the way. Anyway, we got to talking after the test was over and he seemed _interested_ in what perspective I might bring to the investigation.” He made himself sound slightly awed and overwhelmed, as if he’d been presented with a lot of new data in a short period of time. “There’s so many complexities to this case, he felt it was best if he go over it himself.”

 

“I understand. I’ll let your mother know as well. Congratulations on having the test finished!” Soichiro beamed a little, it was apparent even through the phone. “I’m very proud of you son. Do your best for Ryuzaki, alright?”

 

Light smiled into the phone, his voice soft, “I will Dad, thank you. I love you, and tell Mom and Sayu I love them too. Goodbye.” He exited the call and handed the phone back to L, still smiling wistfully and feeling very warm, like he always did when his father said he was proud. It faded as he realized how quickly that pride would shatter if Soichiro knew the truth. _I can’t dwell on that, the die’s been cast and this is who I am. I’ll protect his image of his son, and keep him happy in the illusion._ Quietly, “Alright, that was pretty easy.” 

 

“It _was_ pretty easy,” L said softly. As Light handed his phone back, the teen seemed a little melancholy, and L realized that he wasn’t the only one who had hard truths to deal with. The only difference seemed to be that Light was well adjusted enough to recognize those hard truths staring him right in the face. _But you do, too, now._ A small, sheepish smile tugged at the corners of his mouth for a moment before L said, “Whenever you feel like doing something else, let me know, and I’ll pull up something mindless and funny, how about that?”

 

"No, no, I'm fine. It's just that..." Light looked back up to L, smiling again as he leaned back on the couch. “I guess I took the test for nothing then, so should I keep going to To-Oh while working on the case? I still have a few more weeks of high school before I graduate but….maybe they’d let me finish up early if I turned all my last projects in. Those have been done for weeks anyway.”

 

“Do you _want_ to try and finish school early? If you would rather come to headquarters instead of going to classes, then by all means, you should do it. But if it might make Misa suspicious for you to finish early, I would err on the side of caution, since we aren’t even _close_ to a solution there, yet.”

 

Light put his hands behind his head, looking up at the ceiling as he thought about how best to play his new situation. “It would be nice to stop doing the things that bore me and just focus on the case and _our_ plans, but school provides very good cover, the sheen of normalcy of what Light Yagami should be doing.” In his eyes, Misa would be thrilled to learn that Light had been invited to join the Kira investigation, thinking that it would give him access to the people trying to hunt him down. He could play it that way, but then she’d wonder why he wasn’t scheming with her to get L’s name if he had such access. “I suppose the safest thing to do is keep going to my classes and then afterwards come to Kira HQ. College won’t start until after the summer, so that’s not a bridge I have to cross now.” He looked back down to L, grinning, “Might be best if I moved to where you are operating. Else I’ll do nothing but shuffle myself around on the train all day between home, school, work….” He pretended to pout, batting his long lashes, “...and then Kira will be too tired to write names or do any other nighttime _activities._ ” Giggling, he stretched his arms over his head, already thinking up how he was going to convince L to just move the team here into one of the crappier suites. “I guess I could tell Misa I’m doing a police internship in the evenings and it was like a sleepaway camp. She wouldn’t like the idea of having limited access to me but I can smooth it over for as long as it matters.” Affecting an innocent tone and wide-eye expression, “Misa, think of all the excellent police procedure Kira would be privy to and help me operate more effectively!” His expression turned devious again, laughing to himself.

 

L couldn’t help the huff of laughter that was threatening to escape at Light’s description of Misa, reaching out to scoop up another forkful of the forgotten dessert and pop it into his mouth, chewing thoughtfully as his mind went back to the problem of B. _Bernael. I wonder if Ryuk would be able to look at him and tell ME his last name, or if that’s prohibited now I’m helping Light._ Frowning, L asked curiously, “Ryuk is explicitly forbidden from telling you the names he sees. Is that just until you find them out yourself? Have you ever tested that? Like… do you think he would be able to tell _me_ a name, and then when I tell you, he could confirm? I’m assuming he would have given you some confirmation that I didn’t lie about my name.” As soon as the words left his lips, he looked up with wide eyes, realizing how that must sound. “I don’t mean that in a bad way, I know you trust me, and I would _never_ lie about that now we’re in this together.” 

 

When L asked whether Ryuk was prohibited from telling L people’s names, he paused to consider that. _Should I tell him about how Ryuk clued me in on Naomi Misora? Maybe the general idea but not the details of who, in case it would just ruin our good time to think about what I’ve done._ Carefully, “So...it _is_ true that Ryuk cannot explicitly tell _any_ human someone’s name, but that doesn’t mean that he hasn’t told me in other ways. For example…” He licked his lips, feeling a twinge of anxiety but just going on with it. “...there was someone’s name I needed to know on the spot, and they gave it to me, no problem. Ryuk started laughing at that, which seemed very odd, and at first I was annoyed with him. Finally, I realized _why_ he was laughing when he just kept it up and louder--- they were lying, had given me an alias, and Ryuk wasn’t even trying to hide his reaction one bit.” If Light hadn’t know the shinigami’s moods and usual reactions so well by then, he might never have noticed what Ryuk was doing. “So, he clued me in that it was a fake, even though he didn’t come outright and say it. Obviously, he didn’t get struck by lightning or anything for doing that, so I guess it is ok to give us nonverbal hints. _We_ just have to be smart about picking up on them.”

 

Light crawled over to L, laying his head down in his toweled lap and smiling up at him as L ate the dessert. “It didn’t even cross my mind to verify the name you gave me with Ryuk, because I trust you to tell me. If I _did_ have to verify a name...hmmm.” He opened his mouth for a bite of tiramisu while he considered it, waiting for L to oblige. “Maybe what I’d do is say ‘Ryuk, take the left apple if the name is correct, and the right apple if it’s not.’ Of course, he’d take them both but maybe he’d humor us and take one or the other first to help.”

 

A pleasant shiver went through L when Light laid his head on his lap, and he swallowed, smiling down at the teen. Laughing when Light opened his mouth to be fed, he just scooped a forkful up and pressed the fork to Light’s lips, muttering fondly, “And you call _me_ demanding.” It was adorable, though, and the sight filled him with a pleasant warmth now. “Maybe we can use that method with B. The apple one.” L frowned slightly, though - one part of what Light had said stuck out to him as odd. “Wait, so he can’t tell _any_ human someone else’s name? Then why didn’t he get punished when he told me Beyond’s first name was Bernael?” _Was that just because B wasn’t completely human and therefore couldn’t actually be harmed by the death note? Or did that imply something about him ? No… no, there’s no way I’m anything other than completely human, I’m almost 100% positive both of my parents were human._ It _had_ to be about B. “It’s sounding more and more like he really can’t be harmed by death notes, now. If we can convince him to help us, do you think Rem will realize there’s something weird about him?” That would certainly be where having Ryuk around would come in handy, again, he might be able to clue them in somehow about any oddities with B if he saw them. It was something to think about.

 

Light had no clue what Rem would see when she saw Beyond, but he imagined it would be the same for Ryuk, so something they could test out. “Hmm, so Ryuk flat-out told you his real first name? Interesting.” Light’s eyes flicked to the clock on the wall, it was past time for the test to be over. “Where is he anyway? You can ask him these questions yourself.” He sighed, snapping his fingers loudly to summon the shinigami. “Ryuk! Get your bony butt in here and tell me if you flunked Shinji!” He sputtered a laugh because he couldn’t really sound stern when he was talking to Ryuk.

 

There was a streak of black feathers as Ryuk phased into the room, but before Light could get a word in edgewise, Ryuk flapped over to the Switch by the TV. “OOOOoooohh!” All his feathers bristled out on end and then smoothed back down, and he turned to Light while pointing to it and wiggling. “Look Light-o! I've been askin’ you to get me one of them for years!”

 

Light rolled his eyes but stifled a laugh, “Ryuk, I haven’t even _known_ you for years.”

 

Ryuk grinned, shrugging his shoulders at human’s odd time valuation. “Well, I've been askin’ anyway. Can we play pleeeeeease?”

 

Light looked up at L, finally giggling quietly. “Don’t you even want your soda? You can get it from the fridge. And tell me how Shinji did already!”

 

Ryuk went to the kitchen and rummaged in the fridge, calling over his shoulder at them, “Ya boy did fine, barely even needed my help. He ain’t as stupid as you think. Mostly just sat there starin’ and starin’ at it after he was done. Finally a….uh….gust of wind blew it up to the teacher, pfft.” He turned around with the soda in his claws, flapping over to the couch in front of them. Handing the soda to L, “Um, help me out Lawli?” He didn’t want to get covered in sticky soda again like the last time he tried to open the bottle.

 

Light turned his face into L’s stomach to stop the peals of laughter he couldn’t hold back hearing Ryuk really _say_ that for the first time. “Hahaha, oh shit….well help him out _Lawli_...pffft…”

 

L just watched the interaction, giggling madly over Ryuk’s antics and Light’s clear fondness for the shinigami. When Ryuk finally flapped over to him and held out the bottle of soda, he rolled his eyes and took it, saying, “You two are ridiculous.” Light’s laughter against his stomach was sending pleasant vibrations through him, and he stared down at the teen, cheeks reddening, half tempted to cuff him playfully upside the head. “ _Oi_ , would you stop that? We’ve got company.”

 

Light sat up from L’s lap when he felt _something_ poking him in the cheek, and he gave L a fake scandalized look. “Well ex-cuuuuse me.”

 

L opened the bottle and handed it back to the shinigami, grateful when Light took the hint. “Hey, Ryuk, if you go into my backpack, I picked up a treat for you this morning. And _don’t_ -” The cackle of ‘ _Woohoo!_ ’ made him sigh as he said, “I was going to say _don’t_ eat the wax paper, but okay.”

 

Light giggled, wandering into the bathroom to go exchange his towle for a fluffy robe while Ryuk hacked on the piece of wax paper, guzzling apple soda between his coughs.

 

Ryuk finally reached down his throat and pulled out the paper, giving it a disgruntled look before flinging it into the garbage. “Lawli, I dunno ‘bout that. Tasted alright in the middle but--”

 

Light wandered back into the living room, sitting in a large chaise beside the couch with a heavy sigh. “You weren’t supposed to eat the paper dummy, he even told you. Do we need to tell you not to eat the plastic bottle too?”

 

L just shook his head, giggling and whispering under his breath, “You’re calling him ‘ _dummy_ ’, Light, _stop_ .” The plate was now nestled on top of his lap, hopefully hiding the fact that he had been somewhat turned on by Light’s… unintentional _stimulation_ (but probably not doing a very good job of it).

 

Ryuk took another swig of soda and licked some of the toffee off his fingers. “Pfhticky!” His long tongue was all gummed with toffee and not coiling up right into his mouth, and he kept trying to drink more soda to wash it away. Finally he swallowed with some effort, his tongue going back into his head properly. “Uh, maybe just a normal apple is best.” He pointed a long claw at Light who was red-faced laughing at him, “Quiet you! Don’t make me do a demo of how you eat yer chips!” He floated up above the floor and pretended to be scribbling sanctimoniously, bringing his arm back dramatically with a flourish and biting an imaginary chip with relish.

 

Light glared at Ryuk, grumbling, “I do _not_ look like that.” But of course he knew he probably did, he really did love his chips. “And even if I did, where’s the rule against having a little flair while you eat, hmm? Better than your tongue lolling out like a caveman looking at a mammoth.” He snorted a long sigh, closing his eyes with his patience severely tried.

 

“Okay! Note to self, toffee apples, _not_ good for someone who eats them in one go. I thought it was worth a shot.” Seeing that little demonstration of how Light ate his chips would have been funny even if it _hadn’t_ been mostly accurate, and L shared a grin with Ryuk when Light sighed at them. The whole thing was utterly ridiculous. _Still_ … L grinned to himself. _This_ was what he had been hoping for from today in the first place. Something fun and silly to take his mind off The Case. So there had been a few hiccups along the way. _There’s going to be one more, I’m curious now._ “Ryuk… Light said you can’t directly tell any human someone else’s name. I was wondering why you casually dropped the name Bernael to me with no repercussions?”

 

Ryuk scratched his head, looking at L like that hadn’t really occurred to him. “Huh. Yeah, Light-o’s right, I can’t tell him the names I see but...huh, maybe Bernael is different. Usually when I get the urge to do something I’d get in trouble for, I get a bad feeling like ‘don’t’ so I don’t. Like with that Naomi woman.” The wide-eyed, pale face Light made was lost on him and he kept on going. “Didn’t get that feeling when I was about to tell Lawli about Bernael though. Maybe it means he’s off limits anyway so anyone knowing his name wouldn’t matter. That, or maybe cause he ain’t totally human.” Telling Light the names of shinigami like Rem wasn’t ever an issue. “I figured he couldn’t be killed with a death note even before Light wrote his name, cause wouldn’t the King have done it?” Ryuk shrugged, he wasn’t really sure. “I only know his first name anyway. Never actually seen him.”

 

Light’s heart had dropped the moment Ryuk had mentioned the name he’d wanted to avoid before, not knowing whether it would mean anything to L but also not wanting it to ruin their fun. Ryuk couldn’t see his face from where he was standing and wasn’t really looking to gauge his mental state like he sometimes would. But Ryuk had never had _two_ humans to talk to, didn’t have Light’s guile or way with words or know when to avoid certain things best left unsaid.

 

L’s good mood abruptly vanished when Ryuk said the name ‘Naomi’. _Misora??_ Staring at Ryuk as he finished his explanation, L couldn’t help but swallow hard. While he would always feel a little guilty for the deaths of the FBI agents, he could somewhat rationalize that away as being a ‘calculated risk’. _I wish I hadn’t let Watari badger me into bringing them in._ But Naomi hadn’t been involved in the case. “Do you mean Naomi Misora?” L asked quietly, voice strained. _She_ had only been in Japan because of her fiance, and while L hadn’t been close to her in any way that mattered, she _had_ had _some_ positive influence on him. _Even if all I got from that was a new skill. Even if she never really knew who I was aside from some voice on the phone._

 

L’s reaction was plain enough to both of them and Ryuk got quiet when L started asking questions, looking to Light and _then_ noticing that he must have fucked up by the stony expression Light was giving him. “Uh oh.” He shuffled his feet, shaking his head ‘no’ when L asked if it was Naomi Misora in an attempt to save face, but it was too late.

 

And anyway, Light softly said, “Yes,” at the same time. He frowned at Ryuk but his features softened to disappointment as he sunk back in the chair with a sigh. _Damnit._

 

Turning his head to look at Light, L’s lips quirked down sadly, he said in a hush, “So… she _is_ dead, then. I… I suspected as much.” _Shit. I’m going to have to tell her parents next time they call._ “The person using the alias, right? That sounds like her style.” _You should have told me. I wish you had. It sucks, but I would have understood it._ Standing up, L took a deep breath and said quietly, “I’ll be back.” He set the plate down on the table, and limped over to his backpack, taking it with him into the bedroom so he could at least put the clothes that were stuffed into the bottom of his bag into the dresser.

 

Light looked up in surprise when L got up and took his backpack into the bedroom, but didn’t stop him. He felt hurt, but it was what he deserved for not mentioning the name before. It wasn’t from a desire to be deceptive but rather not to point out things he couldn’t change that might have been hurtful. Writing the names of innocents was not something Light wanted to do, but she was literally on her way to L with insight that may have meant _his_ death or capture. _People do unfortunate things when they are cornered, L. I hope you can understand that._

 

Ryuk hovered at his side, somber. “Sorry Light-o. I didn’t know—“

 

Light shook his head, giving the shinigami a sad smile. “No, it’s not your fault. I don’t want there to be secrets or things we can’t say to each other. You were right to act like there was nothing you shouldn’t say.” _Even if it means he’s upset with me. Maybe it's better he knows who and what I am, what I’ve done._ Light’s eyes watched the bedroom door but L was still inside, and he took that to mean the detective needed space. He hadn’t felt guilty or upset about that action until L’s accusing eyes were staring at him, but he _did_ feel badly now for causing the detective pain. _But I can’t really regret or feel guilty about something I’d do again. I didn’t want to die._

 

“Don’t cry.” Ryuk towered above him but reached out a claw to touch Light’s face where a tear was. “Killin’ is what shinigami do, and I always said you’d make a fine shinigami.”

 

Light turned his face away, wiping his eyes. “It’s not the same thing.” But he knew Ryuk was trying to help in his clumsy way, not understanding anything about human morality or Light’s perspectives of right and wrong. To Ryuk, that must have been some kind of compliment, a comparison to the only race he knew. Light looked up, wondering, “Ryuk, why did you tip me off to her name then?” A weak smile as he sniffed, “Mr. Neutral-I-Ain’t-On-No-One’s Side…”

 

“Hyuk, never said shinigami didn’t lie.” Ryuk’s eyes glowed a little and he flapped back from Light, looking bashful as he sunk through the floor, as if he’d had as much of this uncomfortable emotional stuff as he could take.

 

Light watched him go and stood up, walking to the piano and starting to play.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the angsty cliffhanger but we will publish the next chapter mid-week to resolve it!


	32. Horizons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Light and L confront truths about what they’ve had to do to get to where they are, and what matters going forward.

Back in the bedroom, L dropped his backpack at the foot of the bed, sinking down onto the edge of the mattress and burying his face in his hands. “Shit,” he whispered, trying to compose himself. _This is just one more thing to feel guilty about, but it’s done. Can’t be changed. It doesn’t matter_. Snorting, he took a deep breath and smirked ironically at that thought. Now he just needed to convince himself it was true. Because he _knew,_ just based on his limited interaction with Naomi, that after what happened to Raye, she would have gone after Light, no doubt about it, and she might have taken matters into her own hands in vengeance if she had found Light out first. And he never would have gotten the chance to meet Kira and have _this_. _And I am selfish._ It sucked that someone he had respected had gotten caught in the crossfire, but… _It would never have turned out any other way._

 

“I can see why you didn’t want to tell me, Light,” L whispered to himself. He could hear a little bit of the conversation from the other room, though he couldn’t make out what Light and Ryuk were _saying_ , and it seemed pretty obvious to him that he had hurt Light by walking away. _I’m not trying to hurt you_ , he thought, closing his eyes and bowing his head as he heard the sounds of the piano from the other room. _Is that… Saturn?_ It surprised him a little that Light knew this song… but it really shouldn’t have. It was one he had liked since he’d first stumbled upon it, had listened to over and over any time he ever felt overwhelmed or depressed for any reason; it had always been one he could listen to and just feel _better_. He found himself tearing up as he pushed himself off the bed, slumping against the doorframe and watching for a moment as Light played. The music was a slightly different arrangement than the one he knew, a little sadder, a little more melancholy, but it still made him smile… and as Light wound down, he moved into the room and came over to sit down gingerly beside him on the bench.

 

Light’s eyes were closed, playing the song from within his mind and not needing to watch his fingers. It was this instrument too, the piano itself seemed wooden magic, responsive to his touch like he could conjure the spell of music here that would be lost once they left this room. His eyes opened as he felt L sit beside him on the bench, giving him a grateful smile even as he still cried, fingers resting not quite silent on keys that held the faint thrumming of the last notes he’d played.

 

“I’m sorry,” L whispered as the last notes died away, and he leaned in to wrap an arm around Light’s shoulders, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek and moving away, just in case it wasn’t wanted right now. “I wish you had told me instead of Ryuk, but… I get it. I just.. needed a moment.”

 

Light stared at his fingers as L kissed his cheek and apologized ( _for what?)_ , thinking past the names of planets he’d written to all their orbiting moons and satellites--the parents and siblings, the lovers and friends. _And didn’t every name I write have a universe attached? And when I sever the strings, send it spiraling to chaos?_ Quietly, “There’s nothing for _you_ to apologize for.” _Not planets, black holes. Sucking life and light inside, but even these…._ “I should have just told you.” _Not all the names were that._

 

He wiped his eyes on his shoulder, and his fingers felt locked in place, couldn’t or didn’t want to move them. Dissonance crept in, a feeling that Light had to live and grapple with on the rare occasions he let himself do so. That there were things he’d done that were only for himself and not for any perfect world, and that people who should be alive according to his internal morality _weren’t_ and it was because of him. It was a peace he’d told himself he’d reached but never quite had, that _bad things_ had to happen for some greater good, sometimes, and it was a dark place when he lost sight of what that horizon looked like. Then, he was only left with the means and no golden end.

 

L stared at Light, wishing the teen would just _look_ at him. “This one might always be fresh in my mind, because her parents call weekly to see if she’s turned up.”   _I wish they would stop. I’m not going to be able to tell them the truth without either lying and saying we found her body, or admitting I know who Kira is. Not that I didn’t already know that you had been the one to get to her, but…_ “You’ll see when you’re there. I never know what to tell them.” Taking a deep breath, he said softly, “I love that song. And… that was beautiful.” _I almost started singing along with it._

 

Light’s fingers slid back into his lap at last, and he murmured ‘thank you’ to L’s compliment. ‘ _Her parents call weekly...I never know what to tell them.’_ He laughed but it was hollow, “I never know what to tell mine either, but somehow I manage to do it.” Bitterly, “Maybe I can help with that, be an asset to the team after all.” _No, he doesn’t deserve my bitterness._ The knowledge he’d created this problem for L, making someone else face the sharp edges of his actions while he lived in blurred lines...that was the bitter part. Sincerely, “I’m sorry you have to deal with that.” _And I don’t want to see it._ He sighed, standing up and going to the window to watch the afternoon sun slipping behind the glass and metal skyline of Tokyo. There would be no sunset in this city, it was too full of buildings and crowds for that to happen, but maybe in a few hours he might see the pinks and reds anyway, faded but threading out from a horizon unseen but existent. He stuck his hands in the pockets of his robe, and he could only focus on the ideal, it was all he had. “I wish I could apologize for actually doing what I did, but I can’t.” He turned to look over his shoulder at L, not avoiding his eyes this time. “But I _am_ sorry I wasn’t completely forthcoming, I won’t do that again.”

 

 _And now you’re the one pulling away._ L swallowed hard, hearing all the emptiness, and the bitterness, the pain Light usually didn’t let slip. _I know it all too well. I’ve lived with similar feelings for years._ He hesitated as Light stood at the window, unsure what to say, what to _do_ , unsure if Light even wanted him to come over, but when Light finally turned to look at him… Pushing himself up, L walked over and hugged him from behind, arms sliding comfortably around Light’s waist as he rested his chin on the teen’s shoulders.

 

Light relaxed against L’s body behind him, needing the warmth and his human, understanding presence. His hands went to cover L’s at his waist, feeling the heartbeat against his back that wanted absolution as much as he did.

 

“And you’re wrong,” L said softly, and it felt like his heart was going to pound right out of his chest. “I have much to apologize for. Not _least_ of which is setting you partially on a path that’s eating you up.” Sighing, he kissed Light’s neck gently and murmured, “If I hadn’t made that broadcast with Lind, you might have gone on just killing criminals. The FBI agents probably wouldn’t have been called in, and you would never have had to cross paths with Naomi Misora at all.” _Such a waste, and all because I wanted to find you so badly… well, not ALL._ This might not have happened if…

 

Light slumped back into L, letting his forehead rest on the window pane. “I just...I couldn’t take it if you thought I was a monster. I can take the condemnation of anyone in the whole world, all but you. The day _you_ believe it, then I will be one.”

 

Hot tears sprang to L’s eyes again, and he took a shuddering breath before saying fiercely, “You are _not_ a monster. If you are, I am a worse one. _You_ were just protecting yourself. Don’t ever apologize to _me_ for doing that. I did what I did to get closer to you. If anything requires an apology, it is that.” L let go and tugged Light around to face him, hands framing the teen’s face. “I’m sorry if anything I said made you feel like you are the one to blame for any of this. As things happened, there was really only one of two ways any confrontation between you and Misora could end, and as much as I respected her…” Hesitating, L pressed his forehead to Light’s and whispered, “I’m glad _you_ are still here.”

 

The passionate sincerity in L’s eyes burned through Light, and he couldn’t help but smile through the tears that wouldn’t stop. He was past embarrassment, too raw and finally the exposed thing that L and the police and everyone had wanted to see Kira as--- scared, vulnerable, unsure, impure. He pulled L against him tightly, sobbing into his hair, and for the first time since his father had come home blinded, Light was just a child that needed comfort and someone to say ‘yes, it _will_ be alright.’

 

The way Light was sobbing in his arms, L couldn’t quite tell if it was happy tears, or sad, or a mixture of both. All he could do was hang on tightly, his own chest heaving with tight emotions and shuddering breaths, fingers buried in Light’s hair as he let the teen get the words and emotions out.

 

Laughing softly, Light petted L’s hair at his shoulder, “No...if you hadn’t used Lind, you may never have found me. And I _needed_ you to find me, even if I didn’t know it.” His mind was slipping back towards that beautiful place where the world was only his amusement and plaything, and it was the place he preferred to live, the place he wanted to bring L to live in with him. “Ah, L...I just can’t feel bad about the loss of anything outside ourselves, not as long as we are here, and we have this. Humanity, the universe, Ryuk’s death note may damn me for it but….I just don’t care.” He laughed, pulling back to look at L’s face, and it was true, Light wanted to do _great things_ but it wasn’t just for others, he wanted things for himself, for both of them. “Because too I am selfish and hate to lose.” He grinned, knowing that must be a familiar feeling. “And I won’t lose you.” He leaned back against the glass, bringing L against his body, “I won’t lose _anything._ I know you understand that. It’s why Lind had to die, the agents, why Naomi had to…” His eyes were fire now, burning right through the guilt and combusting it like worthless paper, “...why _anyone_ who stands in my way will fall. I’ll _always_ feel sorry for the pain that causes, but it won’t stop me.” He pressed his lips to L’s, softly at first and then deeper, deeper, giving and reaping equally. Light didn’t care if the world damned him as long as he had his horizon somewhere, and had L.

 

When Light pulled back to look at him, L stared, lips parted in awe at the phrase, _so_ familiar, that tumbled from those perfect lips. “Because I am _childish_ and hate to lose,” he whispered, a near echo, eyes shining as a tremulous smile spread across his face, and he let Light pull him flush against him, pressing one hand against the glass beside Light’s head. Even if he had wanted to (and he didn’t), he wouldn’t have been able to look away from that blaze burning brightly in Light’s eyes, caught and sucked in like a moth to a flame, and he let out a low sob when Light kissed him. _That’s right, let the whole world damn us. Let them tell us that what we do is wrong, what we ARE is wrong. We’ll show them that we are stronger together than apart._

 

L was so caught up in the moment that he didn’t realize what he was doing until his hands met skin, pressing inside Light’s robe and roaming the teen’s body, fingers pressing lightly into every line, every dip, every defined crevice in his skin. He froze, unsure for a moment if this was what Light had wanted, but the hand in his hair tugged him forward into another kiss before he could second guess himself too much, and he let himself sink against Light, pressing his fingers to the dip along the teen’s hips and caressing the skin sensuously, half hoping Light would just take the robe off and let him explore every inch of him.

 

Light grinned into their kiss as he felt L’s hands moving inside his robe, nodding ‘yes’ as those hands kept roaming and exploring. He pulled at the tie on his robe and let it open so L could touch him freely, grabbing his hair to pull L into the kiss even harder. It was what he needed too, the physical affirmation of their new, dual mission, and he grabbed L, lifting him to wrap his legs around Light’s waist. He broke the kiss just long enough to murmur, “Bedroom,” before crashing back into L’s lips, half-blindly stumbling towards the open door where the bed and (hopefully) lube resided.

 

L groaned into the kiss when he felt Light’s hands tug the tie open, and it quickly segued into a muffled whine when he was hoisted up, his legs immediately wrapping around Light’s waist. His breath was already coming out in little huffs and he laughed at the eager way Light hurried them into the bedroom, _not_ that he could blame him.

 

Light leaned down onto the luxurious bed, letting L’s body fall onto it while still kissing him needily. Pulling back, he could only laugh happily, nipping and kissing L’s lips in a half-frenzy. “Aren’t you sore?” He pushed L back onto the enormous bed, trying to push his robe off as he did. L had put his baggy jeans back on for some unfathomable reason, but Light’s hands made quick work of them, popping the button and yanking them down without even bothering to unzip. He pressed his body on top of L’s and ground their hips together, gasping slightly for air but not wanting to come up for it either. Through their kiss, “Tell me what you want from me…”

 

The way Light was leaning over him as he fell back onto the bed was hot as hell, and he wriggled up the bed on his back, tugging Light with him even as the teen divested him once more of his jeans, and he couldn’t help but giggle through the kiss. “I _want_ you to fuck me,” L mumbled against Light’s lips, pushing him away slightly. “I don’t care if I’m sore, Light, I _need_ you.” _Sex is definitely always going to be intense for us, I can tell._ A gasp left him as Light ground their hips together again, and he wrapped his legs back around Light’s waist, smiling up at him and trailing his fingers against the teen’s cheek affectionately before pulling his head down for another kiss. “Lube,” he panted into the kiss, pushing his fingers back into Light’s hair and twisting slightly. “In my bag. Right over-” He paused, remembering that he’d dropped it on the floor. “By the foot of the bed, I think,” he finished, giggling against Light’s lips.

 

Light hummed in satisfaction against L’s mouth when he said he wanted to be fucked, which was exactly what was on Light’s mind but he wondered if L could take it even _with_ lube. _I’m not going to ask twice._ He giggled as L’s legs caught him when he tried to reach for the bag, “You’re going to have to release your vise-grip on me for a moment.”

 

Pouting slightly, L murmured, “I don’t want to _ever_ let you go.” He smiled, knowing that Light had meant it literally rather than figuratively, and reluctantly released the teen, propping himself up slightly on his elbows to watch.

 

Light twisted around and rummaged through the bag until he found what he was looking for, popping the top and squirting lube into his hand to warm it. He settled on his knees between L’s legs and brushed his fingers down L’s cock, stroking a few times before tracing lower until one slipped inside. Pressing deeper, he added another finger and scissored them to open L wider, curling up against his prostate and circling there to get his body to relax.

 

L’s heart was still hammering hard, and as Light touched him, L couldn’t help the soft, needy sounds falling from his lips, head falling back and eyes closing as he focused on _feeling_ Light’s fingers pressing into him, wringing pleasure from him despite the hint of discomfort. _I can handle the discomfort_ , he thought to himself with a smile and a low moan, toes curling into the bed and panting, writhing at Light’s ministrations.

 

Light wanted to be skin to skin, needed closeness more than rough passion right now. He was still a bundle of frayed nerves, hyperaware of even the dim light of this room, the whoosh of the fan overhead, the small panting breaths L was taking beneath him. He felt a chill when he slicked himself, shivering as he lowered onto L and positioned himself, nudging as they kissed again. Light moaned into L’s mouth as the head of his cock slipped in, pulling back out to do that a few more times before plunging in completely.

 

“Light,” L whispered, biting his lip and pressing down onto Light’s fingers when the pressure became overwhelming, and he opened his eyes to stare at the teen, elated when Light finally pushed into him, shivering as they kissed and letting out a muffled cry at the sensation. It was as intense as he’d thought it would be, partially because of their heightened emotional state, and partially because he really _was_ still sore from earlier, but he didn’t _care_. _I need him_ , L thought to himself, eyes squeezing shut and tears in his eyes as he wrapped his legs back around Light’s waist, rolling his hips down insistently to meet Light’s. _And I’d like to think he needs me just as much, needs THIS._

 

L broke the kiss for only a moment, just long enough to whisper, “Take what you need, Light, you can have it.” Carding his fingers back into Light’s hair, he smiled, eyes falling half shut as he added, “I’m already yours.” He kissed Light again, snaking his other arm around to trail his fingers sensuously up and down the teen’s back as they moved together.

 

Light smiled and blinked back tears, happy this time, at L’s whispered words. He pushed an arm beneath L’s shoulders to hold him closer and whispered back, “And I belong to you, L Lawliet.” How strange both their names were, permutations of light and shadow, while they both have hidden in darkness for so long. It felt incredible not to have to hide anymore from just one person, and the only person that mattered. Who wanted his ugliness and his beauty, forgave him for being imperfect like no one else would.

 

L had to hold back a sob, turning it into a happy, wet laugh instead as Light pulled him closer, those words sounding like a promise. For a moment, he let himself hope that, maybe, _one day_ they could have something ‘normal’, turn their words into something else, but the thought was fleeting, and embarrassingly sentimental... and really, the only thing that mattered right now was the two of them in this moment, in this _room_ , lost in each other. _You always give me what I need, Light,_ L thought happily, stroking his fingers against Light’s skin soothingly, tender in all the ways he hadn’t realized he _could_ be, especially with how starved for touch and love, and affection, he had been his whole life. _Someone to be real with. To be SOFT with._

 

Light moved gently at first but L was moving with him, pushing back for more and signaling ‘ _I can take it.’_ He loved the way L’s legs were squeezing him, pulling him in as much as he was thrusting. “You’re...giving me what I need.” _Understanding._ He picked up the pace to build the pleasure, L’s body hot and slick, open and unresisting. Reaching between them, he stroked L with a loose grip, thumbing over the head and rubbing under it.

 

The feeling of fingers wrapping around him brought a low whimper out of L, and he pressed his head back hard into the mattress now, eyes squeezing shut as Light picked up the pace and stroked him in time with his thrusts.

 

Light buried his face in L’s neck and panted soft moans muffled by the pillows beneath them, hips moving faster as his orgasm approached, already nearly overwhelmed given his emotional state. But _this_ was mending his frays, filling the emptiness he’d felt before, letting him push fear aside as pleasure and L’s tender touch took its place. “Yes!” He gasped sharply as he came, slightly blindsided as his eyes fluttered shut and lips parted into a smile. He shivered and kept leaning into L’s body until it was over, collapsing on his sticky chest.

  
“Shit, _Light_ ,” L moaned, loving the way Light’s face was pressed against his neck, those panting breaths sending hot shivers through him to mix with the steadily growing pleasure that was _already_ threatening to spill over. Between that and the way Light twisted his hand on him, he found himself coming with a low, desperate cry, arching up against the teen and clenching around him as Light fucked him through the waves of pleasure, riding out his own orgasm before they finally stilled.

 

Light relaxed against L’s body, letting his breathing slow as he murmured, “I love you…thank you.”

  
  
L was still shivering when Light collapsed against his chest, and he giggled quietly, stroking the teen’s cheek before whispering back, “I love you, as well, Light Yagami.”

  
  
Light nuzzled his cheek against L’s shoulder, pulling his hand from between them and letting it fall limply to the bed. He sighed deeply, feeling L’s heartbeat against his chest. “I feel...a lot better all of a sudden.”

 

“I certainly _hope_ you feel better,” L laughed, unable to stop himself from smiling widely as he looked up into Light’s eyes.

 

Light turned his face and laughed softly, pressing kisses at L’s jaw and eventually his lips as he propped himself up. Brushing his hair out of his eyes, he just looked into L’s for a moment. Softly, “It’s an odd feeling to feel safe again, after running for so long. But I do...when I’m with you.” Laying his head back down he let his fingers trace over L’s skin, and said dreamily, “It’s going to suck to have to leave this room, I just want to stay here and live like this, write names and fuck you all day, eat delicious things and play music for each other.” That would be like a dream, but he knew they loved a challenge too, would get bored if they didn’t have something to conquer or puzzle out.

 

L reached up to trace his fingers over Light’s lips and then to his cheek, and finally trailed them down to trace along his jaw as Light spoke, and he sighed happily. “As long as I have any say in it, you will _always_ be safe with me. But Light, you _know_ we’d both get bored of that life.”

 

That made Light chuckle, “I can’t imagine ever being bored as long as you’re around.” He was feeling worn out, and if he was going to have any energy to do anything else today he needed a recharge. His eyes felt heavy, muscles sore but relaxed, but he blinked the sleep back long enough to grab a handful of tissues and pull out gently without much mess. “Would it be alright if I took a little nap before dinner?”

 

L pouted when Light pulled out, though he had to chuckle at his own ridiculousness. He just hadn’t wanted to move. Pressing a kiss to the teen’s forehead, L slid his arms around Light and closed his eyes, silently agreeing that a nap sounded like an excellent idea. Today had been… _surprisingly_ emotional for both of them. But he couldn’t honestly wish for anything else, because he knew that the emotional moments needed to happen eventually, and with their personalities… if things were left to simmer, he knew that _he,_ at least, had an absolutely _ruthless_ and explosive temper when it finally showed itself. _And I don’t ever want to unleash that on you. No, I’m glad we can be open and honest about things._

 

Throwing the tissues to the floor, Light collapsed back in the soft bed beside L, snuggling into his side and closing his eyes. “Oh...could you set an alarm so we don’t oversleep too much? If you were going to nap too, that is.” As he drifted off he vaguely remembered he’d not made a reservation for the hotel restaurant, but was asleep before he could mention that.

 

L laughed again, a little louder, when he saw Light just toss the tissues on the _floor_ , and he said teasingly, “You really _must_ be tired. How about I pick one of the restaurants and make a reservation for later, and set the alarm.” _Oh Light._ Shifting onto his side, L kissed Light one more time as the teen was drifting off, stroking his fingers along Light’s hairline with a fond smile on his face, and then slid out of the bed. _Where did I leave my phone?_

 

Chewing on his thumbnail for a moment, L mentally ran over where in the suite he’d actually _been_ with it, and finally shrugged, limping into the living room area. He had probably left it on the couch, or... maybe on the table with the rest of the food? Sure enough, when he limped over, it was still sitting on the couch, and he picked it up with a huff of soft laughter, surveying the foodstuff still strewn over the table. “Snacks can stay,” he murmured, ignoring all of the candy and other sweets he’d brought, though he _did_ gather up the fruit tray and the leftover noodles, along with the empty plates and dishes from the sushi and the tiramisu, putting them all on the cart and taking it into the kitchen so he could actually _salvage_ something this time. As he scrolled through the menus for each restaurant, he put the plates in the fridge, pausing to snag a few pieces of cheese and fruit to munch on. _Too American, not enough diversity in the menu, not enough sweets for me… hmm. That one Light won’t even be able to get INTO._

  
Finally, L smiled, finding the perfect one, and he made the call, quietly making a reservation under his alias for - his eyes scanned over to the clock - “8 pm, please.” Once the reservation was confirmed, he thanked them and hung up, wandering back into the bedroom as he set his alarm for 7 and climbed back into the bed with Light, snuggling up beside the teen and slinging an arm over his side. _I hope I can actually GET a little sleep_ , he thought, closing his eyes and just listening to the sound of Light’s peaceful breathing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song Light is playing on piano is [Saturn by Sleeping at Last](https://youtu.be/OrIBlOmOx-o).


	33. Battles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> L gets a rude but amusing awakening, Ryuk challenges them all to a game of MarioKart, and Light picks a fight with his toughest foe yet--- L’s hair.

Ryuk had been hovering near the top of the hotel, amusing himself with popping into the various suites and rearranging people’s things, dropping their toothbrushes in the toilet, putting all the extra toilet paper under the bed. While he wasn’t allow to _take_ anything, he wasn’t exactly doing that was he? He chuckled to himself as he turned the thermostat to 50 degrees in somebody’s room, his large talon breaking the button off in the process. “Heh. Ooopsie.” He got bored though and phased down a few floors to see what Light was up to and if maybe there was a fight he could watch. He didn’t really _want_ Light and L to fight but if it was going to happen he wasn’t going to miss it.

 

Both Light and L appeared to be sound asleep in the bedroom when he floated through the roof, which was even _more_ boring. “Awwww man…” He knew that humans had to do it but still, it was just a time when Light wasn’t doing anything interesting at all and he had to go entertain himself. Looking with his shinigami eyes though, he could tell that L wasn’t _completely_ asleep yet; he’d gotten used to watching Light’s eyes during REM sleep, the slowed heartbeat and breath. “Psst.” He flapped a little closer, knowing Light was a heavy sleeper but still not wanting to wake him up. _He can get right snippy when I do that._

 

Louder, right in L’s ear, “PSSTT.” He wanted somebody to talk to, and now that he had _two_ humans at his disposal, well that was just twice the fun, right? “PST PST PSSSSTTTTT!”

 

At first, L thought he was imagining the sound, and he shifted, nuzzling Light’s shoulder as he tried to surreptitiously crack one eye open to peer around the dim room. _Maybe I’m already dreaming._ Unfortunately, he didn’t think seeing a mass of black feathers and Ryuk’s creepy ass grin _right_ in his face was a dream, and the loud voice right in his ear startled him fully awake, bolting upright with a glare.

 

“You didn’t have to be so _loud_ ,” he said quietly, emphatically, letting out a disgruntled huff of breath. “What is it?”

 

“Ah look, yer awake, heh.” Ryuk lowered his voice to a whisper when he saw Light shift, plus it was clear L didn’t appreciate being startled. He floated up on his side, propping his head up on his hand. “M’bored. Thought I’d come down and check if uh, maybe there were any apples that needed eating.” He gave L a hopeful look then cast his eyes in the direction of the kitchen where he’d already seen a large bowl of apples on the room service cart. Light was pretty stingy with apples but the other day L had given him a bunch. Maybe he could get away with it again. “Pul-lease Lawli?” That Switch was on his mind too, but it was no fun to play Mario Kart alone. “Wanna play some video games?”

 

L stared at Ryuk, the glare fading from his face to be replaced with a blank, somewhat wide eyed look, the only indication of any emotion behind it being a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth. It was with great effort that he kept his breathing slow, because he _wanted_ to tell the shinigami to go away. A full minute passed before he felt he was finally able to speak in an even tone.

 

“You woke me up… for _that_ .” _Well, I can’t exactly throw stones. I told everyone to get out of my suite last night so I could sext Kira._ “I _was_ trying to get some rest.” He glanced at Light, half wanting to lay right back down, but… He looked at the clock and sighed. “Eh, guess I’m not likely to get much rest now.” _Not without having a dream about being eaten by sharks or something, and no thank you._ He fixed Ryuk with a stare and climbed out of the bed, going to put his jeans on again as he said quietly, “I’ll play a couple games with you, but the volume stays low, and you’re only getting _one_ apple for that. Please do _not_ do that again if I’m almost asleep, I get little enough as it is.”

 

Ryuk blinked, “Yah will?” He had really just been expecting L to tell him to get lost like Light usually did, but he pleasantly surprised when L hadn’t. He grinned wider, tilting back to stand vertically, wings wiggling a little in anticipation. “Woohoo! Thanks!” He did a backflip and zoomed into the living room while L was getting dressed, going straight for the bowl of apples. He had been given permission to take one and that’s exactly what he’d do. He picked one off the top and held back the urge to chuck it right down his gullet. To himself, “Hrm, if I only get one, better make it last.” He took a little nibble and flew over to the TV, sitting down cross-legged in front of the Switch clutching his prize.

 

“Don’t really know how to work this thing.” He peered closer at the game console, but human electronic whatsits were a real pain for a shinigami to try to mess with. Light would navigate all the menus and things for him and then just let him take over when it was time to play. There was a small stack of game cases by the console, but he’d only played a couple of them. He preferred the games where he could use the motion controller given how already borderline spastic he was and the size of his hands made it tricky but not impossible to mash the little buttons. “I only played Mario Kart and Bowling and Tennis before, but I’m pretty good at those.” He took another little bite of the apple, not letting a single bit get away.

 

“Uh huh,” L mumbled, frowning to himself. This would actually be a good time to ask Ryuk something that had been niggling at him since their conversation earlier. Something the shinigami had said about getting a ‘bad feeling’ when he was about to break a rule, and how that hadn’t seemed to apply to B, but that wasn’t what he was curious about. As he limped out into the living room again, going to the kitchen to grab the fruit plate and a soda from the fridge, he mulled it over, trying to figure out what it was that had bothered him about that. _Aside from the obvious._ He paused to grab another apple, and then made his way to the living room, setting everything down on the floor and turning the tv on. _Shit… I’ve never played a Switch before, what if I can’t figure out how to work it?_

 

As he fumbled with the console, L asked slowly, “Ryuk… you said something yesterday about the shinigami realm being interested in B. Something about a witch and… I think you said _Justin_ , right? Justin Armonia? That’s the same shinigami that fathered Beyond?” He was pretty sure he was remembering that right. He usually had a pretty good memory for random details, even if he hadn’t really remembered this one until just now.

 

Ryuk took a bigger bite of the apple he was holding when he spied L grab another one, fidgeting a little when it was near. He listened to L’s question, ‘hyuk’-ing quietly. “Well, not _everyone_ was interested in Bernael, just the lot of us that used to sit at the portals and watch humans for fun. Me, Gelus, Deridovey sometimes, and yeah, the baby daddy too. Justin.”

 

“Why does _he_ have two names when everyone else you’ve mentioned so far only has one? He must be a _very_ high ranking shinigami for that.” _And for not getting punished for fathering an abomination_ , L thought wryly, smiling when he was able to get into the main menu without looking anything up. He reached for the Mario Kart game and glanced at Ryuk, waiting.

 

Ryuk laughed louder when L asked why Justin had two names, clapping a hand over his mouth so he wouldn’t wake Light. “Nah that old maid’s got _three_ names.” He took on a high-and-mighty air, sniffing as he waggled a finger, “Justin Armonia Beyondormason.” He slouched, eating the last bit of his apple and giving a little nod as to whether he was of high rank. “But yeah, he’s number three up there, after the King himself and Nu. There’s a few other shinigami with more than one name, but he’s the only one with three. Thinks real highly of himself, which was why we were having a good time watching Bernael causing Justin and the King a fit when they couldn’t do shit to stop him on Earth.”

 

L stared at Ryuk in surprise when he heard the last name, and held his tongue, not wanting to interrupt. _Fascinating!_ He couldn’t help but snicker at Ryuk’s description of the ‘fit’ the other shinigami had had, and he shook his head, going back to fumbling with the game console. “Um. Okay, first thing, I have no idea how to set this game system up, I’m going to need some instructions.” _Not quite as intuitive as I thought._ He began rummaging around in the entertainment system housing the console, looking for instructions. “Secondly… Beyondormason? Hmm. I think I’ve figured out what _Bernael’s_ last name is, considering his chosen alias.” _Not that it does Light or I any good if he can’t be killed using the death note._

 

Ryuk waited patiently for L to get the video game going, intent on _not_ pushing his luck now that someone was actually paying attention to him. “Shinigami who rise up in rank usually get somethin,’ could be a name, or more eyes like Nu, a better cave, can boss folks around more. Sometimes ya get more powers. I only raised up a few times so…” He shrugged sheepishly then held out his hands. “Got these one time.” Long, thin, but razor-sharp blades extended from the tips of his fingers then snicked back inside them.

 

Pulling out the instruction manual, L quickly thumbed through it, glancing at Ryuk when he demonstrated one of his own extra powers, and he grinned. “Okay, those are _awesome_. They remind me of Lady Deathstrike from the X-men movies.” _Except more goth, obviously._

 

Ryuk beamed when L said he liked his knives, letting them slide out once more to show off. “Light-o don’t let me use ‘em much but a couple times he let me chop vegetables for his mom when she wasn’t looking, hyuk hyuk.” Ryuk hid them again, leaning back on his hands as he watched L fiddle with the game.

 

“You…” L couldn’t even finish speaking before he was giggling madly at the mental image of Ryuk awkwardly chopping vegetables in the Yagami kitchen, and what that would look like if someone who couldn’t see Ryuk stepped in. “ _Awesome_ ,” he breathed, half wheezing as he tried to keep quiet, shaking his head as he finally finished setting up the game, handing off one of the controllers to Ryuk.

 

“Justin’s the King’s right-hand dude, so he can get away with a lot more’n I can. Heh, like knockin’ up a witch. Still...King was mighty pissed. Justin was _supposed_ to ‘take care’ of the situation but, uh, wasn’t able to.”

 

L’s grin faded away quickly when Ryuk made the comment about ‘ _taking care of’_ B. “Oh...uh. Shit.” He looked down, mouth twisting downward. “That’s how he ended up an orphan, I suppose. How old… no, I suppose you probably wouldn’t know that.” _Or maybe he would?_ “Do you _know_ how old he was when Justin tried to… ‘take care of’ him?

 

“Orphan? Naw. His mommy’s still alive, cursing folks in some hut in uh…..” Ryuk scratched his chin, trying to remember but the names of nations in this world seemed to change in the blink of an eye. Giving up with a shrug, “If ya showed me a map I could tell you. I don’t know the name.”

 

L was just settling down to start it when he stopped, his head whipping around so fast to stare at the shinigami that he actually winced at the cramp. _Shit, that hurt._ “His mother is _still alive?_ ” He needed to find a map. Maybe he’d wait until later, but that was _very_ interesting information.

 

Ryuk was getting the feeling like L had possibly some sympathy for the half-shinigami so he wasn’t sure how much detail he really wanted to hear. “Erm, was kinda a nasty business. His mom had barely popped him out before Justin was snatchin’ him away from her. She threw every hex at him she knew from what he tells of it, but ye, her magic can’t hurt _us._ Justin knew he couldn’t write a baby’s name....probably didn’t know the kid was likely immune altogether. So he ah….” Ryuk scrunched up his face, “...threw the kid in a dumpster and thought that would be the end of it. Obviously, it weren’t.”

 

Quiet horror was spreading across L’s face as Ryuk continued to explain. “Jesus. And I thought _my_ childhood was fucked up.” How in the hell had Watari found B, then? _Where_ and _when_ had he found him? _I should have been paying more attention to the other kids. I really dropped the ball on a lot of things that didn’t revolve around me, didn’t I?_ He was a little surprised by how _angry_ this story was making him. _And his mother is a witch who is literally CURSING people? Sounds like a fucking PEACH._ It wasn’t even really _about_ B at this point, just… there were things one didn’t _do._ “I’m kind of glad there’s no way I can talk to this shinigami, because he would be getting _much_ more than an _earful_ from me, I don’t care if he could easily end me. One does not throw a baby in a _dumpster_ unless one is a colossal _piece of shit_ .” Huffing out an angry breath, L turned back to the game and started the game. “ _Fucking_ hell! Let’s just play.”

 

\---an hour later---

 

Light didn’t even need the phone’s beeping to wake him up, he’d been lying awake for the past few minutes giggling into his pillow at Ryuk and L yelling at each other about koopa shells and not wanting to interrupt. It was nice to hear them getting along, for L to just relax and have some mindless fun after the rollercoaster day they’d had. He finally heaved himself up and stretched, yawning one last time before shrugging a fluffy robe back on. Pausing at the door, he peeked into the living room with a smile, watching the back of their heads as they swayed back and forth with the go-karts’ movements. _Of course Ryuk had to be Bowser, looks like L is Toad. Called it!_

 

He waited until Ryuk had blasted L with three red shells in a row on his way to zoom past to the finish line before stepping in, laughing and clapping. “Sorry L, I _did_ warn you what happened when he got those red shells.”

 

Ryuk had leapt up to do a victory dance but stopped when he saw Light emerge. “Oooo yeah, still got it!” He ruffled L’s hair, grinning down at the sulky man, “Don’t take it too hard Lawli, we can have a rematch whenever ya want.”

 

“You’ve _played_ more recently than I have,” L pointed out, trying to hold on to his pout. In all honesty, he didn’t _care_ that much, it was just fun to get into something so mindlessly silly. And he _had_ won a couple of games. Swiping at Ryuk’s big hand, he pointed up at him and smirked, “You’re _on_ , knife boy!”

 

Light sat down between them and picked up a third controller, exiting out of Bowser standing triumphant on the winner’s podium. “How ‘bout we have one more game, all three of us, before we get ready for dinner?” He set up his own favorite course, the Boo House, and chose his avatar. Giving L a side-eye, “Don’t you laugh.” _Rosalina._

 

L immediately shut his mouth, grinning at Light’s pick. “Why would I laugh? Rosalina’s cool.”

 

Ryuk whooped again and sat back down, leaning forward to the screen in excitement. “Yeah, Boo House! Not as good as Bowser’s Castle but yeah!” He personally thought ghosts didn’t look much of anything like that but he loved when they phased through things in the game.

 

Light leaned over, kissing L on the cheek and whispering, “Thanks for humoring him,” before starting up the race.

 

Glancing over at Light, L just smiled and nudged him playfully. “Enjoy your nap, Sleeping Beauty?” He pressed a return kiss to Light’s cheek as the race started, and laughed, getting into the game as he announced, “Well, _someone_ woke me up because he was bored, and we missed the opportunity to play earlier, so I figured I might as well.” He managed to find a lightning bolt and cackled when he unleashed it on everyone, zooming past the others to the lead. “Want to know which restaurant I picked, or should it be a surprise?”

 

Light grimaced when L zapped him with a lightning bolt AND squashed him into a pancake, silencing his lingering amusement over ‘knife boy.’ “Hey!! Whatever happened to a nice friendly race, hmm?” It was completely disingenuous, Light was just as cut-throat and _hated_ to lose even silly games like this. He exchanged a devious look with Ryuk, raising an eyebrow to try and pose a temporary alliance.

 

Ryuk snickered as he flew through a question mark box and got a boss shell. “Ahahah, now you’re both in for it.”

 

“Both of us?!” Light gritted his teeth and shot him a glare, “Should have known you were only in it for yourself!” He was having too much fun though for there to actually be any rivalry, and only sulked briefly when his kart was knocked in the ass by Ryuk’s boss shell right before the finish line.

 

“Both! Nooo, I’m almost at the finish line!” L growled, throwing his controller down and flopping over dramatically onto his back. “I almost won that time. Ryuk, you are positively _evil_ at this game.”

 

Light laughed and tossed the controller to the floor, grinning at L, “I better set this up on one player to keep him out of your hair during naps.”

 

Light’s laughter made L look over and grin. “Yeah, that would be a good idea. I woke up to a face full of shark teeth.”

 

Light got up and checked the time, “I _am_ curious what restaurant you picked, but I think I’d like to be surprised. I guess you made a reservation then? What time?” It was already a little past 7 and his stomach felt empty, grumbling a reminder now. “Can’t imagine _why_ I’ve worked up such an appetite but I’m going to get your money’s worth wherever we go.” He extended a hand down to L to help him up from the floor. “Jump in the shower with me?”

 

L let Light pull him up, and he wrapped his arms around the teen’s waist to kiss him properly. “Reservation is for 8, I figured that would give us time to get cleaned up and relax a little bit longer before going down.” He smiled, “Or we could go down early if you’re hungry.” Pulling away, L went to the bowl of apples and picked one up, calling, “Ryuk. This apple is yours if you promise not to mess with our stuff while we’re busy. Catch!” _Especially any of the kinky stuff._ He tossed the apple over to Ryuk, grinning as he let Light pull him into the bathroom.

 

Light smiled at Ryuk, watching him catch the apple gratefully and turn back to the game. “Oh he knows better than to mess with our stuff. He did that exactly _once_ , tied all my shoes to the telephone line outside my house. Didn’t end well for him.” In addition to an earful and having to bring all the shoes back _and_ clean them of bird poop, Ryuk hadn’t gotten any apples for two whole days.

 

He led L into the bathroom, getting the shower running hot before removing his robe and stepping under the spray. “We were lucky they had any reservations, 8 pm on a Friday at this hotel? I hope you didn’t have to bribe anyone _too_ terribly much.” He grinned and winked at L, taking some luxurious body wash and a complimentary bath pouf and starting to scrub his body.

 

“Oh man, I bet,” L murmured under his breath, smirking at that mental image, kicking out of his jeans when they got to the bathroom. “Actually, shockingly, I didn’t have any trouble getting the reservations. Maybe it’s because of the suite we’re in.” He knew that Light had only been teasing, but he couldn’t help but feel smug about that fact. It felt good to step under the spray and finally get clean, and even though he tended to like his own specialty soaps best, this body wash smelled pretty good.

 

Light mumbled half to himself, “The mediocre soaps of the Sakura really dried my skin out, ugh. Please let’s never stay there again.” After two stays at the Park Hyatt, he was absolutely sure he’d never be able to settle for anything less. Teasingly, “It’s your fault you know, spoiling me like this.” He brushed the soapy pouf over L’s chest, a subtle but pleasant scent filling the steamy shower. “I guess you better let the team know we’re moving operations here, hmm?”

 

“Oh, you think I should spoil the whole team now? That’s at least the second time you’ve mentioned moving here today.” L couldn’t help but laugh at that, pressing in behind Light to hug him. “I suppose if we’re going to continue our little trysts here, it makes more sense to move the team to one of the more moderate suites. It’s private enough.” He didn’t want to think about _work_ right now, though.

 

Light’s eyes lit up when L said he’d move the team into one of the lower suites; it just didn’t feel right being somewhere else. “If I needed to tempt you more, I could tell you there’s a 24-hour dessert cafe on the lower floors. But I probably shouldn’t since I’m trying to get you to eat _better,_ not encourage more diabetic adventures.”

 

“Oh, don’t think I didn’t already _notice_ the 24-hour dessert,” L laughed. “And I am absolutely going to be taking advantage of that tomorrow. I remember seeing strawberry tarts on their menu. _Yum._ ” Leaning in, he licked at Light’s shoulder, grimacing slightly at the taste of soap. “This stuff doesn’t taste as good as it smells.”

 

Light stepped under the spray to rinse himself then shampooed his hair. _That reminds me…_ ”Oh, will you let me shampoo and condition your hair? I’m getting all those knots and tangles out before dinner if it kills me.”

 

Laughing again, L shook his hair out of his face, and asked in amusement, “Not that I’m complaining, but you seem to really love washing my hair. Why is that?” It seemed pointless to him, his hair had a mind of its own, and he knew how difficult it was to work with from past experience. “I mean, of course you can, I _like_ having your hands in my hair, I’m just... curious.”

 

Light blushed, turning his face in the spray at L’s question. _Why did he love washing L’s hair so much?_ Quietly, “I don’t know, I just do. You spoil me all the time and it just...feels nice to take care of someone. I can’t lavish money on you or things like that.” Maybe because it reminded him of the kinds of things that he never thought he’d have, it was a feeling that had struck him upon kissing L during their very first meeting here. It had felt bittersweet then, but not anymore. He laughed self-consciously, “I know it’s not the same but I have a lot of happy memories of my mom scrubbing my hair, and I’d always pretend I hated it. But when she actually stopped doing it, I missed it and my hair never felt as clean as when she did it.” _Ah, so maybe that’s it. I associate it with a loving gesture of care._ “I guess it’s a little silly. I’m not trying to say I think of you like a kid or anything…” He winced a little because it wasn’t coming across as nicely as it seemed in his head.

 

L fell silent, closing his eyes as he listened to Light’s explanation with a soft smile, and his arms tightened around the teen’s waist. _I only spoil you because I can, and I want you to feel special,_ he thought to himself. _He_ didn’t really care about having money or material possessions, never really had grown attached to too many _things,_ but he could also recognize that he hoarded his self made fortune to himself to make things _easier_. Whether he cared about it or not, money spoke. And because he had money, when he spoke, people tended to listen. _Hmm. So I guess I DO care about having money, but not for the normal reasons._

 

“Light, I don’t think it’s silly,” he said softly. “I _like_ that you always want to take care of me in little ways. I haven’t had that since I was a very young child, and I know exactly what you mean about missing it. I don’t want you to feel silly over something you like doing, _I_ love it, and I really _was_ just curious.” _And now I know. I wish my mom were still around._ “I wish you could have met my mom, from what little I remember of her, she was amazing.” _Maybe she’s where I get my love of singing._

 

Light leaned back into L’s embrace and smiled over his shoulder, “Well, in that case…” He guided L under the spray to wet his hair and started shampooing the tangled mass, scrubbing deeply and massaging L’s scalp to try to get the knots to submit. He huffed softly as his fingers caught in a bramble of hair, but persevered and finally rinsed the soapy suds away. “Wait! I’m not finished!” He caught L’s shoulder with a giggle, smoothing conditioner onto his hair this time and rubbing it into the ends.

 

Letting out a sighing giggle, L tried not to fidget. He hadn’t been lying when he said he loved it, he really _did_ love that Light wanted to do sweet things like this for him. He just… still wasn’t used to _letting_ someone do things like this for him. It still felt brand new. But even when Light’s fingers caught in the tangles, he found himself huffing out a happy little sigh, staring up at Light’s face as he worked.

 

L’s hair was becoming more slippery and soft now, so Light worked out more of the knots while he brought up what L had mentioned before. “I’d really like to know more about your parents one day, if it doesn’t make you sad to talk about them. They must have been extraordinary people.” Watari had mentioned knowing L’s father, it might be interesting to hear more about the older man’s recollections of L’s family, if L didn’t mind knowing them.

 

“I honestly don’t remember a whole lot about them,” L said in a soft voice, bringing his thumb up to chew on his thumbnail a bit. “It’s mostly just impressions, or like... I’ve got a short clips reel of tiny interactions playing over and over, images, feelings. Their voices, I remember still. Smells. There are very few real tangible _memories._ I remember the first time my dad showed me a puzzle, just one of those ones they have in the newspaper, and asked if I wanted to try solving it. I think it was just a word search. Nothing groundbreaking, but I was three and it seemed like the hardest, most grownup thing in the world. Or… my mom singing me to sleep every night, even if she was exhausted.”

 

 _That_ made him tear up slightly as he remembered how he had coped when he’d gone to live in England, confused, missing home and wanting his parents, forced to sing himself to sleep every night whether he was crying or not. Softer now, as Light worked the last knots out of his hair, “I have a memory of helping my mom bake, and she had to smack my hands away constantly because I was always trying to sneak the cookie dough, so instead she would hand me strawberries or blackberries to munch on.” He fell silent now, recognizing the core loves that shaped his life, even despite the habits that had sprung up around those childish memories to make them into obsessions. _Except for the music._

 

It seemed to Light that even the scant pleasant memories L had of his parents made him sad, and that wasn’t the emotional state that he wanted to spend much time in tonight. Not after they’d both already had respective crises and managed to come out of those. These detail of L’s early life and childhood interested him, but now wasn’t the time really for either of them to process the deeper meanings behind the habits L lived by. He’d much rather enjoy a nice dinner date with his boyfriend in a beautiful hotel, where they could build something new that might be happy for L. The times they were together, alone were precious. But he listened closely, smiling and trying to encourage L’s openness because he really did appreciate it. He’d wanted to know, and maybe should have known better than to think it wouldn’t be painful if he asked.

 

Considering how emotional today had already been, and how little sleep L was running on (nothing new there, but this time he couldn’t help but admit that he was pretty exhausted), he was quite grateful that Light didn’t ask him to elaborate or expand on anything tonight. _Some other time._ He sighed, closing his eyes and just enjoying the feeling of Light’s fingers in his hair.

 

Every knot on L’s head had finally succumbed to Light’s persistent fingers, and he looked upon his handiwork with satisfaction. “Not a tangle to be seen. Truly the death note is not the only magic at my fingertips.” He giggled, kissing L’s lips briefly before turning him under the spray one last time to rinse the conditioner away. “Feel for yourself! See, isn’t that nice?” He turned off the water and stepped out of the shower, taking a towel to dry himself off. _Wait until I floof and style it with the blow dryer._

 

Light’s joking made L smile, though he was a little distracted by the new revelations that had presented themselves. “Light, just say that your hands are magic and be done with it,” he said, voice lightly teasing as he kissed Light back. L squeezed the excess water out of his hair before stepping out of the shower stall and grabbing a towel. “Feels like your hair now,” he remarked with a smile. It was odd, but not unpleasantly so. Just… different than what he was used to, and he scrunched the ends of his hair with the towel before drying himself off.

 

When they were both out of the shower, Light wrapped his towel around his waist and squatted down to rummage for a blow dryer under the sink cabinet. “Aha!” He grabbed the appliance and plugged it in, beckoning L forward with a little smile. “Now you’ve already trusted me this far, have you ever used one before?” Light turned it on and used it on himself while L was watching, brushing his hair so it would lie in an attractive way while the warm gusts blasted the moisture out. It didn’t take long since his hair was short, and he tossed the silky results when he was done. “See? Time saver too. What do you say?” He handed the dryer to L in case he wanted to try it himself or refuse, but Light was happy to do it for him.

 

“Um…” L gave the blow dryer a wide-eyed look and immediately shook his head, refusing to touch it. “I don’t… Heat and my hair don’t mix nicely, unless you want my head to look like a dandelion.” _Why does he think I always let it air dry??_ “I _have_ used them before, but I’m not…” He shook his head again, unable to stop a tiny envious pang at how Light was able to have perfect hair with a minimal amount of product. He was too lazy to put in the work required to get his hair to look nice, and he _had_ done that once upon a time. _Well, for a given definition of NICE, if one thinks hair styled like a freaking bird crest is NICE_. He let out a snorting laugh and explained, “I don’t think I’m doing it right, honestly. Either that or my hair is way too thick. Or both.”

 

Light bit his lip to stifle the giggle threatening to come out in response to the apprehensive look on L’s face. “I see you doubt me.” _He has never used one of these before, and if he did he probably burnt himself._ “Just so happens I’m an expert, so please, if you would…” He gestured for L to sit in a tufted chair in front of the mirror, then got to work right away, pulling at L’s rebellious locks with the comb as he aimed the heated air in the direction he wanted it to lay. He was huffing after a few minutes, “Wow, you weren’t lying.” _What’s his hair made of, wire?!_ “But I will not be defeated so easily.”

 

L couldn’t help but giggle madly at the way Light was so _determined_ to get his hair to behave, unable to stop the smug look from spreading across his face when his hair did _exactly_ what he had said it would do: expand from the heat. “Oh my _god_ , I look like Nuka,” he breathed, trying not to cackle at the look on Light’s face, and biting his tongue to stifle the urge to say _I told you so_.

 

Light turned the dryer off and picked up a bottle of hair gel the hotel had provided, mixing a little of the massage oil in his hand too. _I won’t tell him what I’m doing, but the bit of oil will keep his hair from absorbing moisture and dandelion-ing._ He smoothed his fingers through L’s still damp hair then got back to brushing and tugging and drying with concentrated determination.

 

L’s laughter died down a bit as he watched what Light was doing, and he had to admit, it felt nice to be pampered like this. He tugged the towel closer around his shoulders and settled in, eyes half shut and a tiny, awed smile on his face as Light finally did what he had said he was going to do: actually tame his hair.

 

“Oh wow….” Light turned off the dryer and set it on the counter, smiling at L in the mirror. L now had silky-smooth and shiny hair, laying neatly flat in waves and swept out of his face. It wasn’t completely flat, L’s hair was too thick for that, but it didn’t look poufy either. “It looks really great!” He tilted his head, grinning at defeating at least _one_ thing today. “What do you think?”

 

“What do I think?” L tilted his head, trying to decide how he felt about it. “I mean… I like it a lot. You did a great job. But I feel strange.” He met Light’s eyes in the mirror. “Kinda like I’m pretending to be someone I’m not. This is way different than what I used to do to my hair.” Except he hadn’t said anything about that out loud, and he was sure Light was going to ask. “Oh, I know what it makes me think of -  this is like what my hair would look like on the cute guy they get to play me if they ever made our lives into a movie. The Hollywood interpretation.” He tilted his head to the other side and tentatively touched his hair, surprised when it didn’t feel crunchy, like the gel he used to use. _Maybe I was just using too much._ “What do _you_ think?” he asked softly, feeling a little self-conscious now. He _did_ like the way it looked, but now he felt a little silly, because it would look far too nice for the clothes he wore on a regular basis. “Will my clothes be too informal with the hair now? I don’t have anything else to wear, heh.”

 

Light shrugged like _I tried_ , “It’s not really _that_ different, is it? Just less knotty and laying down in a slightly less chaotic pattern.” He giggled, just pleased with himself that he’d actually gotten it to behave. “I think it looks nice, but I didn’t do it to make you feel weird. How about a compromise?” He pushed his fingers into L’s hair and mussed it back up into every bit as wild as his usual hair, the only difference being it wasn’t tangled or matted. “There. Same old L hair you’re used to, just without the knots. Or were the knots an essential component?”

 

“Light, it’s-” The word ‘okay’ was on the tip of L’s tongue, but he didn’t get a chance to say it before Light was mussing his hair up to look the way it normally did. Except that now it was _styled_ that way, and there were subtle differences now from the absence of knots or tangles. Before it had just looked messy. For a moment, L could only stare before he was beaming happily up at Light. _Okay, but maybe I just like looking like I just rolled out of bed._ “I- no, the knots weren’t essential,” he said, cheeks red and a shiver going through him as Light draped himself over his shoulders. “I really _did_ like what you did with my hair, Light, it’s just different.”

 

Light leaned over L and draped his arms around him, kissing his neck. Quietly, “And you smell nice too. I put a little of that massage oil in the hair gel to keep it from frizzing.” _Seems to have worked._ “You know, that same stuff I fucked you with for the first time?” He gave L’s neck a teasing lick, humming happily to himself as he leaned up to take his pants (now wrinkle-free he was pleased to note) into the bedroom to get dressed.

 

L’s breath caught when Light kissed his neck and told him what he’d used, his heart beginning to pound and stomach clenching pleasantly as he stared at Light in the mirror, lips parted and eyes shining from the memory. “Uh huh, I remember,” he breathed, unable to think of anything _but_ , especially when Light was deliberately licking his neck to remind him of _just_ that. “ _Tease_ ,” he whispered under his breath, not bothered in the slightest by that. He was going to be at least half hard all the way through dinner, wasn’t he? _Oh well._ It took him a minute to stop thinking about the previous weekend and finally stand up, grabbing his jeans off the floor before wandering back into the bedroom.

 

Light could hear the sounds of Mario Kart from the next room as he pulled on his clothes and buttoned up his shirt in front of the dresser. Calling to Ryuk, “We’re going to dinner soon, stay out of trouble and you can have two apples while we’re out.” He slid his new sweater over his head and adjusted it in the mirror, satisfied. When L wandered back into the bedroom he asked, “So how _did_ you used to style your hair? I never would have guessed you bothered to.” He grinned, just teasing. “I like it just the way you usually have it. But thanks for letting me play with it anyway. It was fun.”

 

A glance at the clock told him they still had time, and L couldn’t help but giggle when, sure enough, Light asked. “Oh, uh… you know what cockatiels look like, right? With the crest?” He grinned at Light’s expression and then said, “So… picture that, but swept forward instead of back.” Figuring a slight demonstration was in order, he swept his hair up in one hand on the one side and tugged some of his hair forward over his eyes, brushing it back from his face again when it was clear Light had gotten the idea, trying to look cool and calm rather than elated. “I like my hair messy, I don’t know what to tell you. But… I also liked you playing with my hair, so if you want to do that again, please do.” Smiling, L moved to get dressed, going for the clean clothes from the dresser. Might as well at least _attempt_ to be respectable, since he’d chosen the nice restaurant.

 

“A cockatiel?” Light was tying his tie, smiling in the mirror at L’s explanation of his previous hairstyle. He tilted his head as L scooped up his hair and pushed it to the side, nodding appreciatively. “Ooooh, I love that. Will you wear it that way for the concert?” He hadn’t thought much about what he was going to do with his hair tomorrow, but it would probably just be tastefully messy, and take far too much time to look like he’d spent zero time on it. “I guess I better have Ryuk bring a whole _suitcase_ of my stuff here-- hair products, extra clothes, makeup…”

 

“I can try to recreate it,” L said with a laugh, and then gave Light a wide-eyed look as he tugged on his clean jeans. “Wait, makeup? How dressed up are we _getting?_ ” That had pretty much been the only emo trend he’d never bothered with. _Well, that and coloured hair._

 

Light drummed his fingers on the dresser before turning around to vogue for L, “How does your boy-toy look, hmm?” Smirking, he walked closer and encircled L’s waist from behind.

 

L had to snort when Light began posing, and he looked him over appreciatively before remarking pointedly, “My _boyfriend_ looks like a model. I hit the jackpot.” Turning away, he pulled his shirt over his head, shivering when Light’s arms went around his waist.

 

“Just kidding, don’t get in a huff. Not like I’m barely legal or...oh.” Light giggled into L’s neck, he found their age difference amusing and liked the idea of dating an older man, not that their maturity levels were any different. “Ready to go get something to eat? I’m looking forward to being surprised by what you picked.”

 

“ _Thaaanks_ , go ahead and remind me that I’m very nearly breaking the law to be with you,” L said, glancing sidelong at Light, more amused than not by that comment. “I would much rather focus on other things, Light.”

 

“I’d say you’re breaking quite a few laws to be with me, but when did _that_ ever bother L?” Light chuckled low, pulling L’s hand to his lips to give it a teasing bite. “I’ll have you breaking a few more before the night’s done.”

 

“I mean…” L couldn’t even _say_ anything to that, because it was true. Laughing, he shook his head. “I wouldn’t have it any other way, and I know _you_ wouldn’t, either. So.” A giggle left him when Light had his little giggle fit, and he turned his head to press a kiss to Light’s jaw before murmuring, “But I’d _still_ rather think about how _lucky_ I am to be with someone like you.” A satisfied smile spread across his face. “Or how much I’m looking forward to seeing your reaction to the restaurant. We should probably stop flirting and head out, or we’ll miss our reservation.” He turned around in the embrace and kissed Light properly before pulling away with a smile, taking his hand instead.

 

Light backed out of the bedroom, pulling L along with him, and grabbed his phone from the breakfast counter. “Later Ryuk, be good.” Affecting a stern tone, “Remember _two_ apples.” They really needed to invest in an orchard or something to keep his shinigami happy and well-behaved, or line up some regular deliveries from room service at the very least.

 

Ryuk waved a distracted claw, “Yeah yeah, see ya.” He was in the middle of a speed run in Bowser’s Castle and thus couldn’t be bothered with them.

 

Light only gave his phone a precursory glance as they stepped from the room, but even that was enough to notice the dozens of texts and missed calls from Misa. _No, not tonight. I can always give her the excuse I was exhausted from the exam._ He jammed it into his pocket as they waited for the elevator, bouncing a little excitedly on his heels. “You know, I’ve never once been to a fancy restaurant. The closest thing was a police banquet the force held for my Dad when he got his promotion to Chief, but that was just at a halfway-decent steakhouse.” He beamed at L, “And you...you’ve traveled all over the world, eaten all kinds of things. Man, I’m jealous of that.” Light dreamed of traveling the world one day, experiencing cultures beyond his own. The elevator arrived, empty thankfully, and Light tugged L inside. “Guess you better pick the floor since you know where we’re going.”

 

Light’s obvious excitement was infectious; as the teen pulled him into the elevator, L found himself laughing as he pressed the button for the 41st floor, and he turned to Light, giving him a curious look. “You’ve really never been to a fancy restaurant even once? I suppose I’ve been pretty spoiled. I’m glad I can share the experience with you, then, spoil you a little more.” And from what he’d seen of the pictures of Girandole, it was very nice, and apparently _very_ romantic. He hoped he’d picked the right one, that Light wouldn’t find it too… obvious.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Ghost: Who has played Switch before? Because those setup instructions confuse the crap out of me. XD
> 
> ZJ: I’ve had one for a year and still don’t know how to use it half the time.
> 
> Ghost: So this is accurate! <_<  
> “L: good at making seemingly insane leaps to conclusions that are (ehhhh, most often) correct.  
> Also L: stymied by video game console.”
> 
> p.s. When L namedrops Lady Deathstrike in relation to Ryuk’s finger knives, this is who he means (https://xmenmovies.fandom.com/wiki/Lady_Deathstrike). Also, the mental image of Light letting Ryuk chop vegetables with those really DOES make me cackle.


	34. Merci

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Light and L go on a dinner date to Girandole in the Park Hyatt, but no date is ever simple with these two, is it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Light and L speak to each other in a few different languages in this chapter, namely French and Spanish. English translations are in brackets (forgive any rough translations). The menu for the restaurant Girandole in the Park Hyatt Toyko is [ here](https://www.parkhyatttokyo.com/Facility/Restaurant/Menu/GIR_Dinner_EN.pdf), if you want to drool.

Smiling a little, L leaned in to murmur in Light’s ear, “You know, the only thing I’m _not_ happy about right now is that I didn’t think to get you set up with a fake I.D. You might not be drinking anything alcoholic until we get back to our suite.” Not that he’d been planning on getting Light drunk, because he got the feeling Light might have a little more experience with alcohol than _he_ did. But a glass of wine or champagne, or something sweet might have been nice with dinner.

 

Light frowned at the reminder that his age did still have some drawbacks, just murmuring, “Hmm, we’ll just see about _that_.” There hadn’t been a single time he’d been denied at any of the clubs he and his friends had snuck off to, but that had largely been account of him being an enormous flirt with the bartenders who (falsely) thought they might get lucky. _Might make L jealous if I do that here, and I don’t want to make him uncomfortable._ It would just make for an extra challenge then, but Light was getting his champagne and _that_ was that.

 

That comment made L smile; he’d been hoping that Light would take that for the soft challenge it had been meant to be, and the teen didn’t disappoint. _And now I get to see up close how he gets his way with other people._

 

The elevator doors opened and Light inhaled slowly as his eyes feasted on the luxurious yet still relaxed atmosphere of the restaurant that he could spy through a vestibule in the hall. “Wow…” Soft jazz music floated through the air, and it sounded like a band, not recorded. A podium for the maitre d’ was positioned between them and the expansive white-tableclothed dining area beyond, and the host himself immediately eyed them as they approached. Light received only an appreciative once-over but the tuxedoed man cast a lingering, disapproving side-eye at L, fidgeting with his reservation book as if he hoped they wouldn’t come and bother him.

 

Light felt nearly giddy to be inside as quickly as possible, but smoothed his reactions to demure elegance as he walked towards the podium. _No need looking like an excited schoolboy, even if that’s what I am._ He smiled at L, waiting for him to talk to the man since he didn’t know which alias L had made the reservation under.

 

As they approached the podium for the restaurant, L had to stifle the urge to roll his eyes in amusement when the host gave him that all-too-familiar disapproving look. _Well, I’ve seen THAT before._ He glanced up at Light, and he could _feel_ the excitement radiating off of him even more now, though Light hid it well, and he had the urge to reach out and take Light’s hand.

 

Giving the host a small nod, L said quietly, “I’ve got a reservation for two for eight o’clock under Ryuzaki Ishida, please.” The man gave him a critical once over, frowning slightly, and L bore it patiently, knowing what was coming. Sniffing in disdain-- _why is it always sniffing, do they think that’s the politest way they can express their disapproval?--_ the host flipped through his reservation book, eyes widening once he saw the information. _And there it is. Suddenly I’m not sloppy or lazy anymore, I’m just eccentric._

 

“We have your table ready for you, Ishida-san,” the man said hastily, quickly recovering from his shock and standing up straighter, dipping into a short bow before gesturing for the two to follow him.

 

Light watched with amusement as the maître d’ went through minor crises of shock and acceptance, and to the man’s credit he recovered his professionalism quickly enough. But Light was observing the man closely, as he did anyone he anticipated wanting something from. It was actually a fortunate thing for the man to react with slight disdain at first only to be proven wrong, it placed him on his guard as well as at an apologetic disadvantage. _He won’t be quick to offend us again or to make assumptions._ And there was one more interesting observation that Light made, other than the man being obviously French-- the maître d’ was also the sommelier of this restaurant, and had been reviewing new additions to the cellar alongside the reservation book.

 

L smiled over to Light and reached to give his fingers a light squeeze as he followed the maître d’ through the restaurant to their table, inwardly marveling over how _beautiful_ the space was. They’d managed to get a table close to one of the windows, and as he and Light sat down, he found himself looking out the window at the night lights of Tokyo, as the host spoke quietly and smoothly, seemingly fully recovered now.

 

As they made their way to a table in a prime location by the window, Light took in the graceful, understated beauty of the two-story dining room, giving L a brilliant smile behind the maître d’s back. Sliding into his chair, he laid his napkin in his lap in the European way and listened to the maître d’ begin his spiel.

 

“Your server will be by shortly to take your orders, Ishida-san. In the meantime, feel free to look over our wine menu.” He tapped the elegant little book and flipped it open. “If I might suggest some options, our French Chardonnay list is exceptional. We also have an extensive list of champagne vintages, or if you would prefer a red?”

 

 _Ah, and now’s my chance._ Light gracefully reached for the wine list, smiling up at the maître d’, “S’il vous plait, permettez-moi. [Please, allow me.]” The man’s eyes widened in response to Light using his native tongue, smiling and encouraging him to look.

 

Light took the book and glanced over it nonchalantly, speaking more to L than to the maître d’, “Si nous prévoyons de rester dans cet hotel pendant un certain temps, il serait bon de connaître la qualité de leur sommelier. [If we will be staying in this hotel for a while, it would be good to know the quality of the sommelier.]” He heard a small huff from the maître d’ beside them, who was now quite keen on watching Light’s finger tracing down the list.

 

L was only surprised for a moment when Light began speaking French, smiling widely as he looked over at the teen with his chin propped in his hand. “Oui, le dernier était...décevant. [Yes, the last was… disappointing.]” _Is this how he’s going to get what he wants?_

 

Light caught L’s eye just a moment, smiling that he’d picked up on the game. _A little flattery now._ “Oh, cette carte des vins est magnifique! Je pense...que nous allons commencer avec du champagne, le Dom ‘95, puisque nous avons quelque chose à célébrer. [Oh the wine list is magnificent!. I think...we will start with champagne, the Dom 1995, since we have something to celebrate.]” _The most expensive champagne on the menu, but that will certainly present quite the conflict for him to challenge me._ Light stifled a grin at the look on L’s face, but really this was for a good cause. Nevermind that the bottle of champagne was older than Light was.

 

L’s eyes shot wide open when Light ordered the ‘95, and he had to chuckle, rolling his eyes slightly with fond amusement, remembering the exorbitant price of the vintage from the online menu he’d looked at. Not that he couldn’t afford it, and he certainly didn’t have any problem with Light ordering it. And if they were _celebrating_ something, that was certainly a fitting choice. _I sure hope this one is as good as the other one is, Light._

 

Light handed the wine list back to the maître d’ with an easy, relaxed smile. _Ordering with complete authority and confidence is half the trick. They think you know what you’re doing, clearly we can pay, why rock the boat?_ “Et puis peut-être quelques cocktails avec le repas. [And maybe some cocktails with the meal.]” He leaned forward, chin in hand as he smiled at L, “Qu’est-ce que tu en penses, chéri? [What do you think, darling?]”

 

 _Darling? Aww._ “C’est parfait, mon coeur. Puis-je voir le menu des cocktails, s'il vous plaît? [It‘s perfect, my heart. Can I see the cocktail menu, please?]” Smirking over at Light briefly, L glanced up at the maître d’ and let it fade into a tiny, polite smile, half hoping the man would just leave it and go so he could ask Light the questions he wanted to ask. Thankfully, the man seemed quite happy to do just that, disappearing to, presumably, bring out the champagne.

 

Light watched with smug satisfaction as his performance seemed to be successful, and the man hurried off towards the kitchen leaving them both alone. He grinned and took L’s hand across the table, thinking there was little reason to pretend here, especially since they were in a more private table in the corner.

 

“The ‘95? That one is almost my age.” L looked at Light, laughing quietly and reached across the table now to stroke his fingers lightly over the teen’s wrist, dropping his hand to the tablecloth now as he asked curiously, “So what are we celebrating? Anything special? And... I didn’t realize you could speak French so well.” It was one of the languages he was fluent in, and it made him happy to have another thing in common with Light.

 

“Yes, I felt a little like splurging _your_ money.” Light giggled, “Hope you don’t mind. But I’m sure it will be divine at that price. And if not, I’ll complain in even _more_ haughty French and get them to comp it.” He was joking, but Light really did hope it was something special. “What are we celebrating?” Light leaned forward, lowering his voice a little, “Could be our alliance. Could be our new relationship. Maybe just celebrating me getting my way. All of the above?” _Do we need a reason? I just feel like it._ A smirk pulled at the corner of his mouth, as he whispered, “More likely I just want to get you tipsy and ravage you later, but ‘celebrating’ sounded better for our audience, no?”

 

Well. _Ahem_. L smiled to himself, cheeks flushing at the thought of Light ‘ravaging’ him later, and murmured back to him, “That sounds like a _wonderful_ plan, Light. But you’re right. I suppose we should behave _somewhat_ while we’re in public.” Tugging Light’s hand up to his mouth, he kissed the back of his hand, amused by that thought. _But only somewhat, since you seem to like teasing me and turning me on while we’re out in public._

 

Light hadn’t been surprised that L could speak fluent French, given how much he’d traveled and the breadth of his knowledge he’d displayed in the past. “I doubt I speak as many languages as you do, but I know a few others than Japanese and English. French and Mandarin, primarily, and some words and phrases of Spanish and Italian. But I’d like to learn more, I can usually pick up new languages quickly.” Light’s school had hosted some exchange students from Italy and Mexico that he’d been able to practice with, but had only received formal training in English, French, and Mandarin. “How many languages _do_ you speak?”

 

Before they got too far in their conversation, the maître d’ had already returned with a silver standing ice bucket and the champagne. He waited beside them patiently for a lull in the conversation so he could show the label to Light and L and pour.

 

“Hmm. Well, I’m fluent, or close enough _to_ that I might as well be _considered_ fluent in, English, French, Japanese, Russian, German and Spanish. But I also have a decent grasp of a number of different languages.” L fell silent, trying to calculate how _many_ languages he actually knew, and glanced over with an absent-minded nod and a ghost of a smile when the maître d’ poured them each a glass. “Merci [Thank you].”

 

Light hummed, watching L’s mouth on his hand was just as teasing given they were in public, and made him think of far too many other places it had been recently. Flicking his eyes back up to meet L’s, he tried to ignore the faint blush on his cheeks. “You’ll have to help me with my Spanish then. Or maybe I’ll get a chance to learn something new for a case.” He pulled his hand back to take his glass when the maître d’ poured the champagne, nodding absently at the gushing over the excellent choice and the wine’s provenance.

 

The urge to tell Light how beautiful he looked when he blushed like that was strong, but as they had company… L merely smiled and murmured to him, “Tienes mi palabra, mi amor. [You have my word, my love.] And I can help you with your Italian, as well, if you don’t mind helping me with my Mandarin. I can think of a few other languages I could try and teach you, I know almost twenty.” Shifting, L picked up his glass with a smile and held it up. “To new beginnings?”

 

When they were alone again, Light raised his glass to L’s, the crystal clinking together pleasantly. “To new beginnings.” He thought to himself, _and more than a few ends, for those that deserve it._ He held the golden liquid up to the light a moment to admire it, then took a sip, closing his eyes as the sweet, complex flavors of such a vintage danced on his tongue. “Oh…” He looked up with a delighted smile, taking another sip. “Well, now we’ve done it. All other champagne will taste like dreck compared to this.”

 

As much as L had liked the other champagne, the one that was currently residing in the fridge of their suite, he had to admit that _this_ blew it out of the water. “Oh, this is _amazing._ ” He took another sip, and then another before setting it down reluctantly. _I still have to be able to walk out of here later, I shouldn’t drink too fast._ “Are you sure you want anything else to drink with food when we’ve got _this_? It’s clearly already the best thing on the menu.” L shook his head with a grin, adding, “Kidding. You’ve already proven you can get whatever you want, so you can have your pick once we get food.” He slid the thin menu over to Light, letting the teen take his hand again.

 

Light sighed contentedly and set his glass down. “I’m looking forward to the concert tomorrow. Have you seen anyone play the Tokyo Dome before? It’s amazing.” When not in use for large concerts or events, it was actually a baseball stadium for the Yomiuri Giants, but Light hadn’t ever seen a game there. “We’ll probably have to sneak in some good snacks and booze though, their food is…” He left it at that, shrugging. Ryuk would get a kick out of tagging along for the concert, and Light might let him as long as he smuggled in some treats and kept out of their way.

 

A laugh left L when Light brought up the concert again, and he had to remind him, “Light… I haven’t lived in Japan since I was five, and I’ve only been back for a little while. This is actually the first time I’ve physically _been_ back in Japan since I left. I wasn’t exaggerating when I said I didn’t know my way around the city. So this will…” Pausing, he said in surprise, “It will _actually_ be my very first time at the Dome.” He grinned at that. “I can’t wait, either. And you dodged my question earlier, I’ve been _dying_ to know. Makeup? What kind of makeup look do you go for? I’ve never worn any before, so I have no idea what would even work.”

 

Light laughed when L asked about the makeup, making him think fondly of Sayu but feel a little self-conscious too. He took a sip of his wine, “My sister’s to blame really. She’s obsessed with makeup tutorial videos, the crazier and more colorful the better, and guilted me into being her model. I was just humoring her at first…” He gave a little shrug, “...but I actually got to like it. I’ll probably just do my eyes tomorrow given what I’m _wearing_ , but she’s taught me some pretty wild looks.” He pulled out his phone and opened up his photos, scrolling through them to find some of Sayu’s creations before turning it around on the table for L to see. “I wouldn’t wear _all_ of these out, but a lot of it has grown on me.” He tapped one picture with a grey and turquoise smokey eye. “Probably wear that tomorrow.”

 

L scrolled through the pictures, nodding slightly to himself in awe at some of the looks. When Light tapped on the picture he’d stopped on, he stared for a moment, picturing the outfit and then grinned. “Oh man, I’m really going to have a… _difficult_ time tomorrow keeping my hands off you if you’re going to be walking around in such a sexy getup.” He glanced up at Light, gaze flickering down appreciatively over his chest again before adding, “Not that it’s any easier trying to focus on anything other than you right _now._ But still. Is that a _new_ sweater, by any chance?” He’d forgotten to ask about it earlier, with everything else that had been going on.

 

Light gave L a gracious smile at the flattery, leaning closer and wishing he could kiss him right here in the restaurant. “ _Ryuzaki_ certainly is a charming date. Yes, it is a new sweater, thank you for noticing. Another time I was tempted to splurge your generosity.” He knew how to be frugal when he had a little bit of money, and had made L’s extra train fare stretch quite far. The most expensive thing he’d bought wasn’t even the sweater but rather the _unique_ plug. _He’s probably too sore to give it a try tonight. Maybe tomorrow._

 

Light slid the menu closer, focusing on making a selection since he was really quite hungry. There was a chef’s choice menu that looked incredible, and despite the other selections available it was doubtful he could improve on it. In fact, his mouth was watering just reading the descriptions and some of the ingredients he’d never even tasted. Looking up at L with a giggle, “I think I’ll just be an easy date and get the Degustation chef’s menu.” _Easy but not cheap, but what did you expect?_

 

L smiled as he watched Light poring over the menu, content to just drink his champagne and let his gaze drift between the incredible view outside the window and the enticing young man sitting in front of him. When Light spoke again, L looked over and smirked. _Caviar, makes sense he would want to try it._ “I was toying with getting that meal, but I _really_ only want that dessert. Think they’ll mind me getting _just_ that dessert for myself rather than the whole meal?” Leaning forward, he placed one finger on the top of the menu and tugged slightly, still smiling. “I mean, I’ve already spent enough on the champagne, _alone_. Surely they’ll make an exception for one eccentric, wealthy bastard. And there is absolutely nothing _easy_ about you, except for how you make me feel so special all the time. And I like you that way.”

 

Light snorted in amusement when L called himself an ‘eccentric rich bastard,’ trying not to devolve into giggles. “Well, that pretty much sums it, but there are far worse things you could be. Plus, I like all your _eccentricities_ quite a bit, and being rich just means that you can tell everyone to go to hell if you like, let alone which dessert you want to throw money at them for.” He raised his glass like _cheers to that_ and took a sip. It was nice to hear that L felt special around him, made him feel a warmth that wasn’t just the slight intoxication from wine on an empty stomach. Quieter, “You _are_ special, and not just to me.” He reached over to squeeze L’s hand, hoping that his efforts to tame his hair hadn’t given off any kind of vibe like Light was trying to change him rather than just having fun.

 

Even if L had known what to say to Light’s comments, his _compliments_ , he wouldn’t have been able to say it before the waiter had shown up anyway, so he was content to bask in the happy little glow that seemed to be surrounding them. He couldn’t tell if it was just the atmosphere of the restaurant, or the way their dynamic had changed to something more intimate and comfortable over the course of the day, or the champagne, but whatever it was, he wasn’t going to complain. He apparently wasn’t doing too badly at being _sweet_ to someone, either, which was the biggest surprise, since he’d never really had reason to be nice to many people in his life.

 

The waiter seemed to pop up out of nowhere but Light wasn’t sorry for that, he was already anxious to try some of this food and would have a hard time not taking pictures of every course like a food nerd. _I am a little bit of a food nerd though, and what are they going to do about it?_

 

When Light let go of his hand, L took a quick glance over the meals and other items available before nodding, and setting it off to the edge of the table. “You’re ready to order, then, I take it?” _I certainly hope so,_ For a moment, L wondered if the waiter had been watching the table like a hawk, or if he had just happened to already be on his way over when he turned to try and get someone’s attention. It didn’t _matter_ , it was just a funny coincidence. Glancing over questioningly at Light, he gave a gesture of ‘ _after you_ ’, and then smiled when Light nodded back to him. “Yes, he’ll have the Degustation meal, please, and for myself… I’d like the Gourmand, but I would like to get the dark chocolate and strawberry sherbet instead of the dessert listed, please.”

 

The waiter looked somewhat dubious about swapping part of the set meal, but a quick glance at the vintage sitting on the table had him nodding quickly and saying, “Of course, sir. One Degustation, and one Gourmand with the Degustation dessert. Anything else I can get you while I’m here?”

 

He listened to L order and shook his head when the waiter asked if there was anything else, but then corrected himself. “Actually, could we also have some water. Sparkling?”

 

An embarrassed look came over the waiter’s face like _he_ should have been the one to ask them about that. “Of course, sir. Perrier?”

 

Light nodded and the waiter hurried off to take their order to the kitchen. Turning back to L, “So what’s your team like? I’m curious about them.” Of course he’d read some things in his father’s hacked laptop but it was just their basic credentials and backgrounds. “Although if you don’t want to talk about work things, that’s fine. I expect I’ll be meeting them Monday anyway.”

 

As the waiter disappeared, L turned back to Light, mouth opening to speak, but Light spoke first. _Oh._ He paused, mentally readjusting to the change of topic, and chuckled to himself. “I take it you’ve never met your father’s coworkers? At least these ones. You keep talking about police banquets or things like that you’ve been to.” When Light shook his head, L nodded, and said, “There’s not really much to tell, I suppose. It’s an… interesting group, for sure, if…. _Frustrating,_ sometimes. You already know what your father is like, obviously. I quite admire him, though I really _do_ think he hates me right now. Then there’s Aizawa. He’s...” A huff of indignant laughter left him, and he shook his head, sitting back and folding his arms across his chest. “He annoys me most of the time, honestly. Very hot-headed, and he can be extremely aggressive. He’s not afraid to call me out when I’m being lazy or rude, and he doesn’t abide much stupidity.” A smirk spread across his lips and he reached for his champagne, taking a swallow before saying brightly, “He’s _quite_ fun to annoy. All I have to do is play some Epic Rap Battles on repeat and he leaves me alone. But he’s quite observant in person, so he’s been a pretty good asset that way. We might have to be careful he doesn’t notice that we’re an item.”

 

Taking another sip, L considered. “Ukita left the group shortly after I made the Lind broadcast, so I suppose I don’t need to share my observations on him. Mogi is… hmm. I like him. Very quiet, dependable. Very efficient. You give him a task, and he does it, no questions asked, no whining. Honestly, I don’t really know much about him because he does his job extremely well and doesn’t really offer his opinions or observations on anything unless it’s about the case. And then…” Sighing, L put down his glass. “And then, there’s _Matsuda._ Oh dear god.” Rubbing his fingers along the bridge of his nose, L gave Light an amused glance. “I think one could best describe Matsuda as an annoying, friendly _puppy_. He’s only a year older than me, he’s very new at his job, and he is… always so _eager_ about everything. Honestly, he’s not even _bad_ at it, he’s just way too eager to please whoever is in charge, and he’s more distracted by memes and stupid shit than _I_ am, and he’s not even good at hiding - actually, no, he doesn’t even _bother_ trying to hide it. You’ll see. I don’t know _how_ many times yesterday he kept trying to show me videos and funny sound bites, or clips of Truize. Ryuzaki, look at this, Ryuzaki, check this out, Ryuzaki, pay attention to me!”

 

L laughed again, shaking his head before frowning thoughtfully. “Sometimes I want to tell him just to get off the case because he’s not overly intelligent or competent, but… every so often, he’ll come up with some insight or observation, just in general, or about the case, that surprises me. And... he’s not afraid to bring up things that might be considered unpopular opinion around HQ. Which… might be useful to _us._ ”

 

Light sat back as L discussed his team, tilting his champagne flute back and forth and mulling over who he might get along with or not. At the end of it, he couldn’t help but chuckle behind his glass because he _had_ met Matsuda once, and it was only just now coming back to him listening to L’s colorful tales of his juvenile behavior. _I won’t point out that some of those things you like too, L._ “Yes, I forgot that I’d met Matsuda once when I came into help on a case a year or so ago. My father developed a bit of a complex about him, trying to help him given how naive he was. But….even though he is silly and probably too trusting, he’s not as stupid as he looks.” _Which might not be saying much, but easily-trusting people can be very useful._ “And I _seriously_ doubt that my father hates you. Because...well for one, he doesn’t hate anybody. He might disagree with people but I promise you we wouldn’t continue to work alongside you, correction, _under_ you, if he didn’t hold you in very high esteem.” That was absolutely true in Light’s experience, and he had seen his father cut ties or end partnerships if respect had been completely lost. Light became a little thoughtful then, wondering if in fact his father might be slightly more ruthless than he’d given him credit for to swallow the maneuvers of L, or if he was just overriding his own sense of justice to take down Kira.

 

As for the rest…”So if I have this straight…” Light took a faux serious tone, “...there’s the guy you _don’t_ like because he calls you out, and the guy you _do_ like who does what you say, my father, and...Matsuda.” He giggled, condensed to that it seemed a motley crew they’d probably have some fun with. “And now _me._ ” _Kira himself joining the Task Force against Kira, banging the head of the team and operating under everyone’s noses._ “Ryuzaki, this is going to be immensely fun with or without the Truize memes, or any others that _happen_ to pop up.” Light wondered if he could get Matsuda on meme duty when there was a particularly spectacular death that could only be properly glorified in such a format. The waiter had returned with their first course, salmon for L and urchin with caviar for Light, along with their sparkling water. _Oh, finally._

 

“Hell _yes_ , it is,” L said with a smirk, looking over the food hungrily.

 

Light picked up a fork, eschewing chopsticks for this more Western meal, and smiled over the food at L. “Well, bon appetit.”

 

“Don’t you mean buen provecho?” The idea of having fun with Light on the team had him wanting to have fun with him in an entirely different way. Let’s see how much Spanish he really knows, he thought, smiling as he dug into his salmon, pausing briefly before taking the first bite to ask innocently, “Qué desea jugar un juego conmigo? ["Do you want to play a game with me?]”

 

Light laughed brightly at the suggestion of a game, queried in Spanish of course. “Jeugo, que tipo de jeugo? [Game, what kind of game?]” _How worried should I be about a game with L?_

 

~~an hour later~~

 

Over the next hour, Light managed to converse in proficient enough Spanish that L didn’t stop, and it was refreshing both to hone his language skills and to be challenged in a fun way. He listened with rapt attention to the tales of L’s travels, trying not to seem too starry-eyed or envious when his own world must in comparison appear so narrow.

 

Light was proving much more adept at Spanish than he’d let on, and L was having the time of his life trading commentary about nothing in particular, though Light seemed to particularly enjoy hearing some of his travel stories. Swallowing the last bite of his duck, L took his last sip of champagne and set the glass down, leaning forward to ask with a smile, “Entonces, Light, ¿dónde te gustaría ir primero? Y no digas a la cama conmigo, eso es _obvio_. [So, Light, where would you like to go first? And do not say to bed with me, that's _obvious._ ]”

 

Light gave L a wistful smile that momentarily broke into a grin when L suggestively asked where he’d like to go first. Thoughtfully, “Si pudiera viajar a cualquier parte, iria...a Borneo y veria un lugar salvaje que la humanidad no habia arruinado por completo. [If I could travel anywhere, I would go ... to Borneo and see a wild place that humanity had not ruined completely.]” All he had seen in his life had been urban complexity, the domination of technology over the tiny string of islands that had no business sustaining the life it did, and in such numbers. But he knew that there were places, few enough of them, where people had not yet encroached so much to despoil the unique ecosystem. _They will probably be gone in my lifetime. I hope to see at least one someday._

 

L laughed at the way Light dodged the flirty part of his question, giving him a knowing smile nonetheless. “Borneo? Suena como un lugar al que me gustaría ir, también. Alejarse de la tecnología por un tiempo. [It sounds like a place I would like to go, too. Get away from technology for a while.]” _And other people._ He inwardly vowed to take Light there at the first opportunity. It could be another first experience they could share together, and one that didn’t have anything to do with Kira, necessarily, but everything to do with just getting away from it all. _One day. I’ll take you anywhere you want to go when we aren’t tied to Japan, Light._ That made him laugh softly as a song popped into his head, and he broke his streak to sing softly under his breath, “I can show you the world…” He didn’t go any further with the song, cheeks flushing as he glanced up at Light.

 

Light smiled when L said he’d like to go to Borneo too one day, and maybe sometime he’d tell L of how much that would mean to him. How it seemed like safety in a way, and his endgame as Kira before he’d met L had been to run away to somewhere he could operate in seclusion and anonymity. _Maybe not total seclusion._ The Disney song brought a smile to his face, it had been years since he’d heard that although Sayu had all the Disney films and had gotten Light to watch them all with her over the years.

 

L gigged slightly at his own silliness, “¿Debo seguir coqueteando? ¿Tal vez no cantar canciones de Disney? [Should I keep flirting? Maybe not sing Disney songs?]”

 

Light shook his head, laughing, “Por favor, nunca dejes de coquetear. Si lo hicieras me preguntaría que había hecho para molestarte. [Please don't ever stop flirting. If you did I would wonder what I did to piss you off.]”

 

L toyed with the stem of his empty glass, glancing to the side to look for their waiter as he tried to decide if he would rather get more champagne, or get some sort of cocktail, after all. He had a light, pleasant buzz going, but he wasn’t quite ready to stop drinking. _And all that food probably soaked up most of the buzz I would’ve gotten if I’d been drinking on an empty stomach._ “¿Estás listo para tomar otra copa? [Are you ready to have another drink?]”

 

The waiter was approaching from across the way with their desserts on a tray, and Light nodded enthusiastically in response to L’s question. “Estoy listo para otra bebida. [I’m ready for another drink.]” And a particular thing that L might like, a French cocktail that he’d had before and thought to be delicious, popped to mind. “Te importa si te lo ordeno? [Mind if I order for you?]”

 

The waiter bowed as he approached the table and set down their chocolate matcha mousse with strawberry sorbet in front of them, then hovered a moment to see if they wanted anything else.

 

L nodded to Light’s question before saying, “Si crees que me va a gustar, puedes ordenar lo que quieras para mi, amor. [If you think that I will like it, you can order what you want for me, love.]” Pausing, he brought his fingers up to trace at his mouth thoughtfully. “Mientras sea algo que sepa tan dulce como _tú_. [As long as it is something that tastes as sweet as _you_ .]” He smiled slowly at Light, letting his gaze drift down over him before licking his lips in a way that probably didn’t even look innocent to the waiter, if the way the man suddenly looked away from him was any indication. Oops. _Not sorry._

 

Light’s eyes involuntarily followed L’s fingers as they traced his mouth, his own mouth going slightly dry as he grit his jaw. Suggestively, “No hay nada que sepa como yo. [There is nothing that tastes like me.]” The waiter shifted, looking slightly uncomfortable at the sexual tension at the table, but since more drinks were forthcoming he had no choice but to wait.

 

Light leaned back in his seat, smiling at L while ignoring the waiter. “Pero tal vez esta sea la siguiente mejor cosa. [But maybe this is the next best thing.]” Finally, he turned to look at the man at their table, “Kir Royale and a Dry Martini. Thank you.” A kir royale was simply creme de cassis in champagne, sometimes topped with strawberries, and perfectly sweet enough to sate even L.

 

L laughed, voice pitched low at Light’s flirting. _No, there certainly ISN’T anything else that tastes like you._ “Entonces, ¿cuál es la mejor cosa siguiente? A que sabe? Mentes inquisitivas quieren saber. [So, what is the next best thing? What does it taste like? Inquisitive minds want to know.]” _Not just inquiring MINDS…_ “Aunque estoy pensando en otras partes de ti en este momento. [Although I am thinking of other parts of you right now.]” The waiter had finally left with the order, and L laughed. “¿Crees que entendió la conversación? ¿O simplemente fuimos obvios? [Do you think he understood the conversation? Or were we simply obvious?]”

Light raised an eyebrow as L mentioned thinking about _other_ parts of him, laughing softly at the question as to whether they’d been obvious. Well… “Probablemente podría decirlo por la forma en que me miras, mas que tus palabras. [Probably could tell by the way you're looking at me, more than your words.]” Not that he minded that one bit, Light would much rather be the dessert, but he was too invested in seeing what happened when L was drunk to leave now. “No me importa si somos obvios. Dejalos ver. [I don't care if we were obvious. Let them see.]” He played coy about the taste of what he’d ordered for L, wanting him to just wait and see for himself. Light had a hunch it would be a hit.

 

 _I can’t help looking at you like that when I want you_ , L thought, swallowing hard even as he narrowed his eyes at Light’s refusal to even give him a _hint_ of what his drink tasted like. It was a silly thing to focus on, but it kept his hormones _somewhat_ at bay. Not enough that their flirting wasn’t making his heart race and his skin tingle, but… “No puedo evitarlo cuando se mira lo suficientemente bueno para comer, [I can't help it when you look good enough to eat.]” he said in a low voice.

 

Light looked down at the delectable desserts in front of them, vaguely wishing he _had_ agreed to share given how full he was becoming. He laughed softly as he pulled his phone from his pocket, “Sere muy impropio. [I’m about to be improper.]” Light snapped a couple pictures of the chocolate mousse with a grin, and hid his phone again. “Ok, vamos a comer. [Okay, let’s eat.]”

  
Immediately digging into his dessert, L paused as he watched Light snap a few pictures and then laughed, shaking his head as he stuffed the spoon in his mouth. _He_ was the one running a dessert Instagram, and he hadn’t even _thought_ to take pictures of this delicious masterpiece, while Light had. That was some astounding role reversal. “¿Vienes por mi título de rey postre, Light? [Are you coming for my title, Light?]” he asked once he’d swallowed, laughing again. “Me gustaría mantenerlo. [I would like to keep it.]”

 

Light snorted a laugh at being called out regarding his picture, thinking L was probably just irritated he hadn’t thought of it first. Teasing, “No eres el único con un teléfono con camara y aprecio por la estética. [You are not the only one with a camera phone and appreciation for aesthetics.]” When was he going to have a meal like this again? Maybe he could hope for more if L indulged him, but he wasn’t going to miss an opportunity to remember a little bit of it. “No te preocupes, puedes ser el Rey de los Postres. [Don’t worry about it, you can be King of Desserts.]” He lowered his voice to a whisper before bringing a bite of the dessert to his lips, “Quiero ser un dios del mundo nuevo. [I want to be god of a new world.]”

 

L watched Light, grinning and waiting until the teen had taken a bite before asking in an innocent tone, “¿Serás mi _segundo_ postre? [Will you be my second dessert?]” After a moment, he glanced around, making sure the waiter wasn’t on his way back, and no-one near them was looking at them, before toeing off one of his shoes and sliding one foot lightly up Light’s leg, taking another bite and chewing innocently as he rubbed his toes against Light’s inner thigh. The tablecloths were long enough to hide his naughty behavior… right?

 

Service was quick here, either just by design or just for them, and the waiter bustled over from the bar to place their drinks on the table. He did _not_ linger this time given how L and Light were looking at each other across the table, bowing curtly before hurrying away. Light was nearly certain that despite their intense gaze, it at least wasn’t obvious what was going on _under_ the table. He hadn’t dared make a sound when he felt L’s foot sliding up his leg and now pressing against his thigh, and all he could think as his fingertips toyed with the edge of his glass was _keep going, and you’ll see the effect this has on me._

 

Light’s heart was pounding harder with every inch that L’s toes crept closer to his erection, glad now for the draping tablecloth that provided a minimum of concealment. _He knows what teasing each other in public does for me, doesn’t he?_ He let out a long exhale as L finally brushed against him, stabbing his fork into his dessert and shifting his hips subtly to lean into it. He stared hard across the table, looking as if he were about to jump across it and slam L up against the window, patrons of this place be damned.

 

Light’s reaction sent a thrill through L, and he held Light’s gaze without speaking the entire time the waiter was there, finally laughing softly as they were left alone again. He took another bite of his dessert, lips stretching into a smile around his spoon as he let out a low ‘mmmm’, rubbing his toes further up Light’s thigh until they brushed up against his crotch. _Ohhh, I was SO hoping he was enjoying this._ Feeling how hard Light was under his toes nearly made L moan out loud, but he managed to stifle it, eyelashes fluttering as he glanced down coyly. “¿Quieres que continúe? [Do you want me to continue?]” L asked softly, gaze lingering on the way Light was toying with his glass and smiling.

 

Light whispered low, “No te atrevas a parar. [Don’t you dare stop.]” It was taking quite a lot to maintain his composure, to eat his dessert and sip his martini as if he _wasn’t_ about to come in his pants.

 

L brought the glass up to his lips and took a sip, eyes flying open as he stared down in surprise. “Oh!” He took another, larger swallow, cheeks pink, and turned a pleased grin to Light. “¡Es dulce! Ya conoces mis sabores favoritos... ¡Delicioso! [It’s sweet! You already know my favourite flavours… Delicious!]”

 

Despite his compromised state, Light couldn’t help but grin at the look on L’s face as he tasted the drink. “Yo pense que podria gustarte. Entonces, sabe tan bien como yo? [I thought you might like it. So, does it taste as good as I do?]” The pink concoction did have strawberries floating in it, which would probably be delicious soaked in champagne. _Ah, there’s a thought if I ever wanted to get L wasted. Soak some strawberries in vodka._ The look on L’s face...Light knew it well enough by now, and even with the sweet drinks and desserts he had something else on his mind. _So do I, but I can wait a little longer until he’s properly wasted._ Light had eaten a larger meal and he suspected he had a higher tolerance for alcohol than L, so while he was certainly tipsy he still had _most_ of his wits about him. Those wits seemed to decrease further though as L’s foot pressed against him, making him close his eyes and stifle what would have been a moan around a spoonful of chocolate mousse instead. He looked up, eyes half-lidded, “Te estas divirtiendo bromeando en publico? [Are you having fun teasing me in public?]”

 

All pretenses L might have had about wanting to keep his hormones in check flew out the window when Light shifted his hips _into_ his foot. The way he was looking at L as he said that… just because Light was still able to eat his dessert and drink like there was nothing going on meant _nothing_ , because the intense stare said everything. _He wants to slam me against something and fuck me HARD._ His voice was breathless, and slightly wobbly as he said, “Es delicioso, Light, pero tenías razón. _Nada_ sabe tan bien como usted. Pero voy a necesitar al menos uno más de estos antes de que vayamos. [ It's delicious, Light, but you were right. Nothing tastes as good as you do. But I'm going to need at least one more of these before we leave. ]” He took another large swallow of the drink, and waved the waiter back over, adding in a low voice, “ _Sabes_ que estoy amando esto. [You know I’m _loving_ this.]” Meeting Light’s eyes, L gave him a knowing look. “Al igual que yo sé cuánto estás amando esto. ¿Pero quieres venir en tus pantalones, en _público_? [ Like I know how much you're loving this. But do you want to come in your pants, in _public_?]”

 

Light’s eyes went wide as L asked him _that_ , and he had to admit the thought thrilled him. _Could I keep from making a scene?_ It was risky, but that just made him throb under L’s foot, hissing back, “Que si hago? [What if I do?]”

 

 _Oh Jesus_. The way Light said that made him throb in his jeans, and all L could think as he stared at Light was, _Challenge. Fucking. ACCEPTED._ L flexed his toes a little, massaging Light’s erection with the ball of his foot, and turned away, looking up when the waiter approached the table cautiously. “Could you bring another Kir Royale for me, please?” he asked in as polite a voice as he could muster, looking at Light with a brilliant smile, trying to play down the devious tone as he continued to massage Light’s cock. “Did you want another Martini, dear?” Even the thought that their poor waiter probably had at _least_ a vague idea of what was actively going on beneath his nose (if not outright _knew_ ) wasn’t enough to deter L now that he could see how close Light was to falling apart. _Oh Christ, I hope we don’t get kicked out._

 

Light bit his lip as he stared at L beckoning the waiter back over for another drink. _That’s it, get good and sloshed so I can have my way with you._ He inhaled deeply, trying to steady himself to _not_ look like he was on the verge of orgasm. Straightening up, he wiggled his hips slightly against L’s foot but spoke without a hint of tremor or emotion, “Maybe one more.” _Why not, doesn’t seem like alcohol is doing anything to lessen my libido here._ To the waiter, “Make this one dirty? Thanks.”

 

He chuckled at the flush on the waiter’s face after he’d turned away, leaning back in his chair and spreading his legs wider. _Wonder if we’ll ever get a reservation here again. Probably not unless we buy Dom every time._ Quietly, “Eres mas cruel que Kira. [You’re crueler than Kira.]” He grinned deviously, wondering now how he’d have the patience to show L the death note as he’d been planning...now that he wanted to just bend him over the first available surface they came across. His breathing was speeding up the longer L’s foot was against his cock, and it was such sweet torture to have to _behave_ in front of all these civilized people when he felt far from that.

 

“Desafío _aceptado_. Y sólo soy cruel si no vienes, [Challenge _accepted._ And I’m only cruel if you don’t come.]” L murmured, narrowing his eyes at Light and smirking, leaning back in his seat casually, and pressing his foot closer until he was rubbing his toes against the head of Light’s cock through his pants, the rest of his foot squeezing gently, in a slow, steady rhythm up and down the shaft, working as much as he could despite their… constraints. It was _incredibly_ thrilling to be doing something so scandalous in public, and for a moment, as L took another sip of his drink, he idly wondered if he would have even _tried_ taking it this far if he hadn’t been drinking. _Probably not._

 

Light’s eyelashes fluttered and he felt unsteady, setting down his drink and slightly sloshing it to grip his chair instead. Even though he knew no one was looking, it felt like all eyes in the place were on him and could _see_ what was happening. Knew that the music and moderate noise of the restaurant were easily drowning out his ragged breaths, but they echoed loudly in his own mind. And the challenging, aroused look on L’s face just made it so much worse ( _better)._ He panted out softly, “No...no seras cruel… [No...you won’t be cruel…]” His fingernails dug hard into the plush fabric of the chair as he couldn’t help but writhe beneath L’s foot, pressing back against it and grinning almost demonically as he stared up though his bangs. He had to turn his head away to the window to stifle a low moan against his shoulder, glaring back at L, “¿Ves lo que me haces? [Do you see what you do to me?]”

 

L could only stare raptly at Light, watching with his heart hammering hard in his chest as the teen fell apart, his reactions so clear to L even though he knew that if he had been a patron in a different part of the restaurant, he probably would not have known anything was amiss. _You won’t be cruel._ Even on the edge, Light was still managing to stay relatively composed, and it was so ridiculously _hot_ , that L didn’t know if he would be able to stop himself from… _Do you see what you do to ME?_ “Bueno, Kira, ¿vas a venir por mí? Estoy _esperando_ . [Well, Kira, are you going to come for me? I’m _waiting_.]” L’s tone was the same bratty one he always used when he wanted to get Light _really_ worked up, and he pressed harder against Light’s cock, taking a deliberately slow breath to try to calm himself down slightly. It would probably be a bad idea for _him_ to come in his jeans, since _he_ didn’t have the benefit of having an extra layer to hide the evidence.

 

L’s foot was stroking him so agonizingly slow, and Light just wanted to grab it himself to speed the friction, but that would give the game away. So he had no choice but to just try to keep still and _take it,_ starting to sweat from the effort of suppressing everything his body was telling him to do. He shot L a meaningful look when he heard him whisper _Kira_ in that tone he knew so well by now, and that was it….his mouth fell open, eyes squeezed shut and choking back a groan as he pulsed against L’s foot, warmth and stickiness spreading against his crotch and he _couldn’t care_. It felt absolutely amazing, the secret thrill, the possibility of being caught or others seeing him as his fingers clenched the tablecloth, his toes curling in his shoes as L’s curled against him and squeezed one last time. That finally wrenched a faint whimper from him, the only real noise he’d made without dampening or silencing it. He slowly opened his eyes and stared back at L across the table, giving him a blissful, half-drunk smile that perhaps could be blamed on the alcohol, if he hadn’t known the real reason.

 

Swallowing hard, L’s focus narrowed on the beautiful sight in front of him until Light was pulsing against his foot, warm and wet and _so fucking hot_ in his pleasure as he clutched the table cloth that L couldn’t help but squeeze his toes around him one last time. He clutched his glass tightly when he heard that little whimper escaping Light’s mouth, a shudder rippling through him and a fierce, triumphant grin on his face now, because honestly, the fact that Light had let _any_ noise slip without stifling it or masking it in some way was an achievement… an _especially_ sweet one, with the way Light was smiling at him.

 

Before Light could say anything, he noticed their waiter coming over with their drinks on his tray. _Shit, we were lucky that didn’t happen a moment ago._ He gripped L’s ankle under the tablecloth and gave it a small squeeze like _just you wait_ before letting it slide back down to the floor furtively. By the time the waiter was setting down their drinks, none the wiser, Light’s face was a composed placid mask; the only tell was his eyes, practically burning a hole in L.

 

The waiter gave a short bow, turning to L, “Will you be charging this to your room, sir, or would you like me to bring the check? Unless you’ll be needing anything further?”

 

“ _Joder_ , eso fue tan _caliente_ , [ _Fuck_ , that was so _hot,_ ]” L breathed, falling silent when their waiter set their drinks down. He swallowed hard and gave Light a look, glancing down at the drinks and then back up. “No, I think we’ll be heading out after these,” he said, finally tearing his eyes away from Light and smiling at the waiter. “If you could charge it to the room, that would be much appreciated.” _Because I don’t want to deal with anything like that when we go, I want to be able to leave in a hurry if need be._ Knocking back the rest of his first cocktail, L handed him the glass, adding, “Thank you very much for everything.” _I like this restaurant._ He turned back to Light, leaning his arms on the table as he leaned forward, saying in a slightly teasing way, “We’ve had _quite_ a lovely time, haven’t we, _chéri_?”

 

 

Light did not look at the waiter as he drained his first martini and held it up in his fingers to be taken. Permitting only a hint of irony to bleed into his voice, “Oh yes, I don’t think I’ll ever forget _this_ meal.” Smiling deceptively sweetly, “And such excellent service. Truly my _every_ need was attended to.” He finally turned his bright smile up to the waiter, giving a nod of thanks as the man bowed and wished them good night and to return another time. Light stared as his back a moment as he left, then settled back in his chair and picked up his new drink with cool nonchalance. He laughed quietly as he took a sip, a simper crossing his face as he wondered whether there was there anything better than getting away with something you shouldn’t, in whatever form that took _._ Not to Light, or at least he hadn’t found anything approximating that high quite yet.

 

L could only stare at Light with wide eyes, mouth slowly falling open as the teen started to tease him with the waiter still there. _I am DEFINITELY going to get it,_ he thought, a sort of dazed, dizzying need filling him now, to the point where it was all he could think about. _Shit._

 

Light went on cheerfully, “What a delightful meal. I hope you had fun.” _You have no clue how hard you’re going to get fucked as soon as we leave this place._ “And such a joy to spend time with someone I’ve head over _heels_ for.” _There’s quite a few knots I know that don’t take long at all._ He gestured to L’s half-eaten dessert, “Don’t forget about your dessert, _love_. I’m afraid I’ve eaten all I can.” He was pleasantly full, and anything more than the martini would just be too much. And there was still work left to do tonight, names that he wanted to write more than ever now.

 

“Uh huh,” L breathed, trying to resist the urge to squirm in his seat as he glanced down at the half eaten dessert and the second cocktail he had (clearly foolishly) ordered. “Light.” The teen only gestured to the dessert, and L groaned in a low voice, “ _Light…_ ” _I don’t think I can eat anything more right now when that’s not what I want_. “We should go, Light,” he quietly insisted, hands clenching the edges of the table as he tried to keep his breathing steady.

 

Light mentally gauged the distance between their table and the front door, then looked down at his lap, eyes flicking back up to L with a knowing smirk. _Brat._ He was wet and sticky, but his dark pants had so far hidden the evidence of their indiscretion. Even so, he’d come a _lot_ and it would show before long, probably run down his leg the moment he stood up. _Your tongue will be cleaning up that mess._ He looked around a moment before discreetly tugging off his sweater and draping it across his lap, then lifted the stick of olives from his martini and slid one off with his teeth. “I think I’ll have to come here again.”

 

It seemed like Light was settling in to finish his drink, though, and as L watched him drape the sweater across his lap with _that_ comment, he had a sneaking suspicion that Light was going to try to turn this back around on him, maybe make _him_ … _He wouldn’t, would he?_ “You think so?” he asked, swallowing hard and picking up his glass, taking a drink to try and focus on something _other_ than the throbbing arousal he felt. _Yes, Light would absolutely do that._ Either way, it was going to be extremely awkward for him when they left, because he would either be walking out of here with a raging hard-on, or wet pants. _Well, I’m the one who started it, might as well suck up whatever consequences I get._

 

Breathlessly, “Light, what do I have to do to get you to leave here with me sooner?” As soon as the words left his mouth, L inwardly groaned. He had just given Light the key to get whatever he wanted out of this. _How drunk AM I?_

 

Light found it adorable, really, that L had been the one to start all of this yet he was the one regretting it now, anxious to leave and visibly unraveling. He held the metal martini pick in his mouth as he stared from L’s white knuckles gripping the table to his wide, pleading eyes. He grinned around it, then pointed it at L, whispering, “I wonder how hard you are right now.” He speared another olive, licking the salty vodka off it slowly, for L’s benefit. Quietly, “Wonder if you’re hard enough to come without me touching you?” He dipped the olive back into his drink, swirling it around as he thought about L throbbing in his jeans. “Not that anyone seems to notice if I _did_ touch you. Why...I could probably slink under the tablecloth and suck you off and nobody would even notice. I could get away with _anything._ ” That made him giggle softly, because of course he had no intention of doing that here but it was a fun thought nonetheless. “Could you keep quiet?” Light sighed heavily, giving the olive another long lick, “No, you’d probably _blow_ it, get us thrown out.” _That won’t do, not if we’re going to stay in this hotel and hopefully dine here again._

 

 _If you keep talking like that, I just MIGHT come without you touching me,_  L thought, squeezing his eyes shut and panting lightly, trying to think of something else, _anything_ else to bring his hormones down a notch. Not that it did a lot of good when Light started talking about sucking him off under the tablecloth and _oh my god, why would he put that image in my head?_ “Light, _please_ ,” he said softly, unable to hide the whine in his voice. He was pretty close to 100% sure that _wasn’t_ something Light would do, not somewhere like _this_ , not when they had both enjoyed the place so much, but it was an enticing and _invasive_ image nonetheless.

 

Light took a sip of his drink, then tilted his head to the side with a smug smile. “It occurs to me that between the two options in front of you, so to speak...” he paused to giggle at that, “... baggy pants and walking fast can mostly hide one of them. But there’s no hiding a giant wet patch on your jeans. Especially when you’re wearing no underwear.” He stuck out his bottom lip in a little pout of mock sympathy. “So I suppose we ought to leave, but what am I to do when you give me carte blanche to ask for whatever I want? Don’t you _already_ give me what I want? So I’d have to make it something you _don’t_ want to give me, or at least something I’d have a hard time getting.” He leaned forward, giving L a smoldering stare as his voice dropped in pitch, “But you knew what you were getting into when you started to tease me.”

 

He flicked the pick to the table, wrapping his sweater tastefully around his waist to hide the wetness starting to bleed through. Standing up, Light walked around to L’s side of the table and leaned down to drape an arm around his shoulder before he could stand. He brought his lips close to L’s ear to whisper, “You’re lucky today to be a rich bastard, aren’t you? And no one will be staring at your crotch when we leave because they’ll be looking at your sexy boyfriend and wondering the same thing you are-- how _good_ would it feel to come down his throat?” He let his lips form the words _not yet_ against L’s ear but didn’t speak them. “As for what _I_ want?” _You’re lucky today that I’m not completely taking advantage of this situation._ He leaned back up and extended a hand, palm up, to L, “I’ll make it easy on you, _boss_. I want to see you write.”

 

L looked back up when Light started talking about his _options_ , eyes wide, and even that _giggle_ made him want to crawl across the table and climb into Light’s lap. He probably would have _done_ it if they hadn’t been in a restaurant, propriety and manners be damned, but then Light was standing up and coming over to drape an arm around his shoulder, and the contact… actually helped ground him a little. The shivering intensity he felt dimmed a little, and L let out a low sigh, glancing up and reaching out to clutch at Light’s hand gratefully for a long moment, smiling slightly. Even when he let go, even with Light whispering dirty things in his ear and heating him up, calling him _boss?_ _Shit!_ It felt good to just be able to _touch_ him.

 

“That’s really what you want?” L whispered, reaching out to take Light’s hand again with a tiny smile and letting the teen tug him up. He quickly shoved his foot back into his shoe, averting his eyes sheepishly at the way Light snorted, and took one last large swallow of his drink, feeling hot all over. _I’m not sure if I’m ready for that, but... I certainly liked being on the receiving end of the death note’s… EFFECT. I wonder if it’s different being the one to actually write?_ “Are you going to dictate names to me?” He couldn’t help but feel a little dizzy, clutching Light’s hand as he waited for the room to slowly stop spinning, and he found himself giggling a little as he wondered... what was Light planning on doing while he wrote? _Actually, I think it’s pretty obvious what he’s planning on doing._

 

“It is one of _many_ things I want.” Light helped L to his feet, eyes scanning down his body and lingering only a moment on his tented pants. “But for now, yes.” He didn’t want to draw attention to L’s _state_ as they walked past the dozen or so tables to the front door, so instead merely took his hand and walked somewhat in front of him, vaguely shielding him as they made their way to the elevator. _If anyone bothered to look, hopefully they would just look at our faces._ He knew that L wanted to walk quickly but purposefully slowed him, speed would only make them look conspicuous.

 

“I love it when you look at me like that,” L murmured, letting Light take the lead. It was probably for the best, anyway, it seemed that the alcohol had gone to his head as he stood up, and having Light as a buffer between him and any prying eyes was far preferable than the alternative.

 

Light gave a blithe nod to the maitre d’ as they passed, and the man stepped aside and beamed at them.

 

“Please do come again, sirs. Your patronage is always welcome here.”

 

“Thank you.” Light gave him a gracious smile, tugging L closer to his body, “Very glad to have come.”

 


	35. Time to Murder and Create

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Light shares everything with L, and warns him of the risk of becoming a Death Note user. L makes his choice.

Hearing Light make such a blatant remark to the maitre d’ had L clapping his free hand over his mouth to stifle his laughter, and once they were at the elevator, he giggled (perhaps a little louder than he’d meant to), teasing, “You’re very glad to have _come_ , are you?”

 

Finally out of the limelight, Light encircled L’s waist and drew him closer as they waited for the elevator, laughing quietly into L’s hair and fidgeting with the sweater at his waist. No one was paying attention to them now, so he slid his fingertips into the waistband of L’s pants, reminding himself that L had nothing on underneath. “You know walking around like this is just an open invitation, don’t you?”

 

L’s breath caught when Light’s fingers slid down the back of his jeans slightly, and that shivering intensity he’d felt before started to creep back in. “Don’t you _like_ the invitation?” he whispered, smiling up at Light.

 

The elevator arrived and Light swore softly under his breath to see several loud, drunken businessmen inside. _Damn it._ He stepped inside and pressed the button for their floor, glaring at the suits who were eyeing him.

 

L was just leaning up to kiss Light when the elevator door opened, and he paused and looked over wide-eyed when he heard loud voices coming from inside the car. He was half debating on waiting for another elevator car when Light pulled him in anyway, and he would have been content to just wait for the drunken businessmen to leave… but it seemed Light had other plans.

 

Light stood close to L to make it clear that _they_ were together, pushing his hand further into L’s jeans to give his ass a squeeze.

 

L couldn’t help the soft exhale that left him when Light pushed his hand down the back of his pants, glancing up with a pleased smirk. _Please leave so I can be alone with my boyfriend_ , he thought, willing the other men to get the hint as he shifted his body more towards Light’s, uncaring of if these drunk men noticed. They weren’t likely to remember in the morning anyway, and Light was so _close,_ he needed to touch.

 

Light breathed a sigh of relief when the men got off on the next floor, leaving them alone, and he immediately took the opportunity to turn into L and pin him against the wall and kiss him. _9 more floors to go._ His hands gripped L’s wrists and held them tight against the wall as the elevator ascended, tongue licking into L’s mouth and exploring, claiming a taste of what he wanted tonight.

 

Thankfully, when the men left, L didn’t even have to tug Light to face him, because Light was already pinning him against the wall, a near mirror of their first stay here. Except this time, he giggled into the kiss, immediately opening his mouth to Light’s and pressing up against him to get as much friction as he could. Light only broke the kiss for a moment, giving L enough time to whisper, “I want you _so bad_ , Light,” before his mouth was on L’s again, and it was almost too soon when the doors slid open again.

 

Light staggered back to hold the door open, giving L a smirk as he gestured into the hall, “After you.”

 

Pouting, L stumbled out of the elevator, a little dizzy from the alcohol and arousal both, but he managed to get a little way down the hall on his own before he stopped, waiting for Light to catch up so he could grab his hand again. “You know, I think if you had decided to be a little cruel, you _would’ve_ made me come in the restaurant without even touching me,” he admitted as he fumbled with the card key, somehow managing to get the door open on the second try.

  


Light smiled and exhaled at the challenge, slamming his palm to the door of their suite to prevent L from opening it. He placed his other hand on the wall, pinning L’s body against the door by crowding him versus touching him. He panted into L’s ear, “And don’t you think I wanted to? Don’t you think I _could_ ?” Cameras were likely on them now but Light didn’t care; if L was the detective worth his name he’d make the footage go away like he’d done with the prior security tapes. Forcefully, “Don’t you think I wanted to tell you that what I _really_ desired….. was to throw you to the floor and step on your throat, compress your breath and make you call me _kami_? Let you breathe long enough to beg for me to fuck you as your _god_ ?” He leaned back slightly, laughing low, “But no, I decided to be _kind_ and let you off easy. All you have to do…” His hand slid down from the wall and reached into L’s jeans, teasing the skin just above his erection. “...is become like _me_ tonight, a killer. And which is the worse debasement?”

 

A low whine left L’s mouth as he pressed back against the door, Light’s hot breath and the words that came with them hitting his ear and neck and making him shiver, making him _throb_ with every new fantasy Light described. Feeling fingers tracing along his skin like _that_ , so close to where he _wanted_ them to be, pulled a low agonized ‘ahhh, _Light_ !’ from him as he writhed, arching into Light’s touch, fingers clenching and unclenching into fists at his sides. “It’s not-” L panted, cutting himself off to suck in a hissing breath when Light pressed his face into L’s hair. Once he got them to work, he had to bring his hands up to press them into Light’s hair, stroking affectionately and framing Light’s face as he whispered, “Is it really debasement if I _want_ it?”

 

Light’s eyes shut for a moment as he pressed his face into L’s hair, knowing none of it was debasement, it was ascension if L could see it as he did. That while the morality of humans stood as some antique monument, they would come and crash through it as meaningless. And by submitting to Kira’s will he would give L anything he desired, every fantasy he’d ever had, and deny him nothing. He swallowed, removing his hand from the door so L could unlock it. The death note was in his backpack, he could see it now clearly burning an image into his mind and calling to him. He took a few breaths and stepped back, so hard again already despite getting off not long ago. _The very thought of killing with you does that to me._

 

L’s eyes were wide open again, willing Light to look at him, to touch him, to let him open the door so they wouldn’t have to _wait_ , so Light could do whatever he wanted with him, or _to_ him. L turned his head slightly, licking at Light’s neck before the teen stepped back, leaving him pressed to the door, chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath. Blinking, L’s gaze immediately was drawn to Light’s own state, and he stared for a moment before looking up sharply, mouth half hanging open. Their eyes met for a brief moment, but that was all L needed to crouch down and retrieve his fallen keycard, slamming the door open and tugging Light down into a kiss as he backed into the room. “ _Kira_ ,” he murmured, tearing his mouth away from Light’s as he pushed the door closed, tugging at the buttons on Light’s shirt. “Get it. Get the note. _Please._ I’ll do it.” Not like he hadn’t been _going_ to, hadn’t _wanted_ to in the first place, but it seemed Light needed the confirmation.

 

Light grabbed L around the waist as soon as they were inside, backing him up against the wall as he advanced into their suite. He grinned into their kiss when L called him _Kira,_ whispering back, ”Yes…” as he flipped L around and pressed him face-first into the wall and leaned into him. _I love it when you call me what I am._ Trying to steady his voice, tremulous with arousal, “This is what’s going to happen.” His lips trailed against L’s neck, not licking or kissing, just contact. “ _You_ are going to stay perfectly still right here.” Light pushed his fingers into L’s and pressed them against the wall, sliding up towards his head. “And _I_ am going to get the note….and the collar.” He pressed his erection into L’s jeans, pushing hard and letting him feel for himself what Light wanted. Hissing low, “Stay. Still.”

 

L honestly wasn’t sure how much more he could take before the stimulation was too much, but he wasn’t there _yet._ Still, he couldn’t help but gasp when Light pushed him against the wall, a low, “ _Shit!_ ” leaving him as he arched back into the teen, tilting his head to give Light any access he wanted and seeking out his touch desperately. He stopped his fidgeting only when Light pressed himself against L and hissed at him to ‘Stay. _Still._ ’ _Holy SHIT._

 

Light retracted his fingers and left L there, panting and pressed up against the wall. He took his time to go to his backpack in the living room and pull the death note from underneath the darker porn, holding it up so L could see. He walked into the bedroom and flung it to the bed, then went into the bathroom where L had taken his collar off during their bath. Light smiled as he picked it up, twirling it around his finger as he walked back into the living room where L was.

 

L froze, body still slightly trembling from the overwhelming sensations as Light moved through the suite, collecting and then relocating the death note and taking his sweet time about it. _But I finally get to see it in person. Shit. What is he trying to do to me?_ L thought dazedly, another shiver and a low moan escaping him when Light returned, twirling the collar.

 

Holding the collar up between them, Light tilted his head, “Do you want this?” He reached out and grasped L’s shoulder, turning him around and pressing him to his knees. “Tell me that you want it, that you _need_ me to fuck you in it.” He unbuckled the collar, “Will you write as the agent of Kira?”

 

“ _Yes,_ Kira,” L said, voice breathy and soft as he stared up at Light, eyes never leaving the teen’s as he pressed L down to his knees on the floor. His gaze flickered to the collar, eyes flashing excitedly before he looked back up, licking his lips. “ _Yes,_ I want it.” His breath was coming in pants, and then Light was unbuckling the collar again, holding it open for him as the teen spoke, a request and a promise all rolled into one, like a twisted echo of L’s thoughts from earlier about wanting something ‘normal’. This… this was _far_ from normal. But he didn’t care, had never really _cared_ , had he?

 

Light’s chest was heaving as he panted down at L, “My hand upon this collar and _your_ hand around my pen.” He held it open so L would have to crawl forward if he wanted it, “And I’ll make you know _me_ as you write the names I whisper to you. Are you ready to _really_ join me?”

 

Squeezing his eyes shut for a moment, L licked his lips, taking a deep breath and then letting it out before crawling forward, voice low and hoarse with the effort it took to not just _beg_ for it like he had earlier. “Kira, _yes_ , I’m ready.” He grinned, eyes fluttering shut as he pressed forward insistently, a low moan leaving him at the feeling of leather pressing against his neck. “I _do_ need you, I want you to _fuck_ me in this, I need you to _fuck me_ while I write for you, _please,_ Kira!” He wasn’t sure how he was going to last very long like this, especially considering the death note’s usual effect on the two of them, but he was going to damn well _try_.

 

Light looked down with deep satisfaction as he fastened the collar around L’s neck and clinked the padlock shut. _I can’t wait to show it to you, show you what I’ve already done._ His fingers traced the leather to the front, up L’s neck and across his cheek, just admiring the sight as he throbbed. _“_ So beautiful…” His hand pushed through L’s hair, silky and smooth in this fingers tonight, but he caught it tight, bringing L’s eyes up to meet his a moment. His whispered down to L, but it was playful, “Did you think I’d forgotten what you’ve done, _brat_ ?” Light yanked away the sweater hiding the wet spot, now soaked through and extending down one pants leg. He buried L’s face in it for a moment so he could see and feel and smell what he’d ‘done’ as well as what he was doing, but Light wasn’t patient enough tonight to draw this out any further. He wanted to write...needed to do it _right now._

 

L’s breath caught at the way Light’s fingers pulled right at his hair, eyes opening to stare raptly up at him, a hint of a smile on his lips and eyes shining. _Please don’t ever stop saying I’m beautiful,_ he thought to himself, even as Light called him a brat again over what he’d done at the restaurant ( _guilty, and I would do it again without hesitation_ ), and when he saw the evidence... A low moan escaped him at the sight, and as Light tugged him forward, he brought his hands up to grip Light’s thighs, unable to stop himself from dragging his tongue over the mess he’d made, half wishing he had bare _skin_ under his tongue.

 

Light released L’s hair and bent down to scoop him into his arms, carrying him into the bedroom. Breathless, “I can’t wait any longer.” He placed L on the bed and pulled his t-shirt over his head, crashing into his lips as they fumbled with each other’s clothes and buttons until they were naked.

 

For once, it seemed _Light_ was the impatient one, and L was a little surprised when the teen scooped him up and carried him into the bedroom. “Is it weird that I like it when you carry me?” L asked laughingly in between kisses, breathing harder with every item of clothing that came off until they were both naked, and Light was staring down at him with a hungry look in his eyes.

 

The death note was behind L on the bed beside Light’s phone, and Light whispered to him, “Turn around and lie on your stomach.” He reached over to grab the lube as L repositioned, and squirted some into his hands to slick himself and his fingers. He chuckled over L’s shoulder as he drew closer behind and straddled his hips, opening the death note to the first page so L could see where this had all begun. “The hostage situation.” Light’s lubed fingers pressed into L gradually, being careful since he knew he must be sore. The sheer number of names in the note must be staggering to L, it had even impressed a god of death how many Light had written. But he _needed_ L to see it, what he’d done and continued to do. He smiled as L flipped through page after page after _page_ , his own fingers thrusting and scissoring, twisting to open and slick L. He laughed quietly, “The pages...they never run out.”

 

L couldn’t help the shiver that went through him as he did what Light asked of him, turning onto his stomach and reaching out in wonder to trail his fingers over the cover of the death note. _This is how he did it. All those deaths. Murderers, and rapists, the men and women who exploited others for their own gain, their own sick pleasure, exterminated like the pests that they were._ He had already seen its power close up, but now he had the source of this power at his fingertips. It was almost startling when Light straddled him, leaning down over him to flip to the first page to _show_ him the journey he had taken. “So _many_ ,” L whispered, breathless and awed and trying to stifle his moans as Light opened him up, and he paused at certain pages, trailing his fingers shakily over particular names ( _Lind L Tailor, Beyond Birthday_ ), or special entries (‘ _L did you know._..’).

 

Light removed his fingers, kneading L’s ass and spreading him as Light leaned to slide his cock against L’s cleft. He panted, “Open my phone, you know the password. The newest document….those are the names and faces.” There was something slightly different about this list, and he was curious if L would recognize these notorious criminals and what they all had in common. _Exploiters of children._ To Light, that was as bad, if not worse than murder, and finding these names and recent pictures hadn’t been as easy since they had been protected by the Russian mafia.

 

L couldn’t tell if he was more turned on by what Light was doing to him, or by the sheer _scale_ of what the teen had accomplished, but whatever it was, he was nearly _writhing_ in need by the time Light leaned down over him again, directing him to the document on his phone. L scrambled for it, breathing harsh and trembling, and once he read through the first few names, he actually _stopped breathing_ for a few critical seconds. These criminals... “Kira...” L breathed, fingers tightening around the phone as he stared. He swallowed hard, wondering why Light had put together this particular list. He doubted it had anything to do with what he had told Light this morning, and probably more to do with how difficult it was to get this information. He recognized most of the names and faces on the list, because even his reach couldn’t quite penetrate the Russian mafia. After all, he still needed the cooperation of local police or government to be able to put criminals away, and.... well. Still, to finally be able to do something about people who would exploit innocent children... His voice was hushed and trembling as he asked, “These men... did you choose this list for me as a gift?”

 

Light closed his eyes and spoke against L’s hair, “Yes, a gift...and the results of an experiment with the death note.” Of course he was going to show off for _L’s_ first time, didn’t want to just turn on the news and hope that someone worthy would pop up. No, he’d been trying to get these names for _weeks_ , hoarding them so he could write them all at once and make an unmistakable statement. _Kira doesn’t not tolerate this, and Kira can find you._ “I started with people I could find in Russia with vague links to the mafia, got them to spill on people even closer, deeper inside. Wrote their deaths so they’d send names and pictures via encrypted email before they died.” He pressed his cock against L, his speech broken by pants as he relived that triumph, “Didn’t always work but...sometimes it did. And each time I’d get...a little closer...a little closer to the ones I wanted. And now I have them.” _For you._

 

Hearing Light’s explanation of how he came by the names made L want to laugh in delight, even if his only reaction was aroused panting as Light pressed against him. It was an impressive feat that the teen had managed to get the names, and it had taken him far longer... _but then, I didn’t have the ability to manipulate people in quite so direct a fashion. This note is incredibly versatile._ Still, he couldn’t help but feel honoured to be given the chance to write these names.

 

Light leaned closer to kiss L’s neck and collar, placing a hand over his for a moment to make him pause and listen. “There’s one more thing you have to know before you do this. Ryuk told me that users of the death note go to neither heaven nor hell, but to a place called Mu. But Ryuk has told me that _all_ humans go to Mu, no matter what, so...it may be a moot point. But I wanted to give you all the information I had, before you go any further.” Light’s pen was next to L’s hand and he wanted badly to pick it up and place it where he wanted it, but he’d let L decide. _Do what you wish._

  
L was already reaching for the pen when Light stopped him with a hand on his, and L closed his eyes to listen. _Death note users go to Mu. But Ryuk says ALL humans go to Mu. Why is he.._ Glancing up at Light, L was silent for a moment before whispering, “I don’t want to go anywhere you can’t go, Light.” He deliberately pulled his hand out from under Light’s and closed his fingers around the pen, leaning up to press a brief kiss to Light’s mouth before turning his attention back to the note in front of him. A quick glance at the document on Light’s phone gave him the first name, and he held the man’s face in his mind as he began to write, grinding back against the teen insistently and asking in a low moan, “Are you going to _fuck me_ , Kira?”

 

Light’ breath caught in his throat when L said he didn’t want to go anywhere Light couldn’t, happy tears springing to his eyes only to be blinked away in admiration and understanding. _I’d feel the same way._ There was nothing to say, and something very important to do, so he only smiled into their kiss and didn’t delay things any further. He laughed when L asked he was going to get fucked in that moaning bratty way, answering him by lining his cock up and starting to press inside, probably faster than he should have. But he was _desperately_ anxious for this, for L to write in it and share everything with him. It had been a spring coiling since he’d first told L he was Kira, and felt _unbelievable_ to see L grasping his pen and tracing ink across the pages he’d poured himself into filling with names.

 

L had to pause for a moment when Light pressed into him, letting his head fall forward and whining harshly, fingers clenched around the pen, but he steadied himself quickly and finished writing the first name. No sooner had pen left paper than that alien rush of ecstasy settled into his skin, racing through him like a wildfire, and he let out a loud cry, arching back against Light as he tried to keep his orgasm at bay. _No, NO, I don’t want this to be over so soon_ , he thought fiercely.

 

Light lifted his chest from L’s back, thrusting as he knelt on either side of L’s hips and watching him complete the first name with laser focus until...“Oh _god_ ….” He gasped loudly, arching into L’s body as he gripped his collar. _The death note...he did it!_ He throbbed inside of L but was going to wait as long as he could before this power ripped his orgasm out of him. He stilled his movements, trembling to get a hold of himself before starting to push again. His voice was low, “F-fuck...that one’s...dead….keep going…” _Don’t stop._

  
L clutched at the pen as he trembled and panted, fixing the next name and face in his mind and scribbling furiously. As the second name completed, L felt that same rush, prickling more intensely at his skin as Light fucked into him, and he let out a frenzied laugh before gritting his teeth, amazed that he’d somehow managed to hold on. _How long can I do this before Light and the note push me over?_ he thought dazedly, glancing back at Light with a feral little grin and whispering harshly, " _Harder_ , Kira, _please!_ ”

  
Light’s fingers wrapped tighter around the collar as he sunk back down against L’s back, wanting to feel his skin hot against his own, whisper encouragement into his ear... _yes, keep going...take them out...take them all out…_ He pushed his arms under L’s shoulders when L begged ‘harder,’ and Light was happy to oblige him, moaning and laughing as he pounded L’s body into the bed. This wasn’t what he’d imagined when he’d started assembling these names but it was a thousand times better, a twisted offering from Kira to L but one perhaps only L would appreciate the significance of. _Murderers take life, but these men have destroyed souls._ His body shuddered with each new name L scrawled, and he was being pushed towards some new ecstasy, laughing with unabashed happiness and pleasure of sharing this with L, of knocking down evil that thought it was untouchable. He could feel L’s body reacting around him, nearly _hear_ L’s thoughts as he finally got it, finally _understood_ what it was like to not just to have a blind power but to use it to whittle the world. He couldn’t speak and didn’t need to, it was clear to him that L felt it in his bones, what this was and meant in the hands of someone able to harness it. _And I knew you could too, I knew it was meant for both of us._

  
Determined, L studied the list quickly, firmly fixing the names and faces in his mind before dropping Light’s phone to the bed. He was nearly delirious, gripping the book tightly and scribbling names in a haze of building, frenzied pleasure until it finally caught up with him, pulling his orgasm _screaming_ from him as he arched back into Light again, vision whiting out. When he came back to himself, shivering and limp, fingers clutched so tight around the pen that they were cramping, L couldn’t help but laugh, breathless and wild and giddy. “Did I get them all, kami?” he asked as his laughter started to fade, weakly reaching out for Light, unable to move to see for himself.

 

Light was nearly incoherent by the last name, whining desperately and unable to care how he sounded or how erratic his movements had become. And when L screamed _…._ the world dropped to viscous slow motion, sound pitched up and then suddenly dampened like jumping into the deep end of a pool. It was electricity, it was fire, a gunshot. His head dropped to L’s shoulder and teeth bit down hard to draw blood, licked away as he shot and writhed against L’s body in mutual indulgent pleasure.

 

L’s voice brought him back, a distant echo at first but closer. He blinked and forced himself to focus on what L had written, a satisfied smile spreading across his lips as he realized it was done. Quietly, “Yes, you got them all. And I’m so _proud_ of you.” He wrapped his arms around L’s chest and leaned to kiss him over his shoulder. _Kami…_ the word had been teased and spoken in jest, but maybe L really understood it now, beyond the perception of ego stroking or hubris. _It is not that._ The death note was a tool of powerful magic and extraordinary things were possible when used by the right hands, things only even ‘real’ deities like Ryuk would not think to do. _Kami is not only the power, the magic...it is the will and the design._ “How do you feel?” Light’s hand reached for L’s and pushed the pen aside, holding it gently before bringing it to his lips. “Now I have no secrets from you, nothing you haven’t seen. Thank you for not turning away.”

 

L’s eyes closed again, a satisfied smile spreading across his face as Light kissed him, curled around him, whispering a happy, “Thank you,” as he turned his head slightly to nuzzle into Light’s hair. He found himself giggling again when Light took his hand, and he blinked his eyes open blearily, a little surprised to realize that he was tearing up slightly. “I feel…” L glanced at Light, giving him a helpless shrug after a moment. “I have no words… at least… not for _that_.”

 

Shifting, L tried to move, but even though he just wanted to turn into the embrace, he was having a difficult time getting most of his body to cooperate with what he wanted it to do. He giggled again, voice dropping to a sheepish murmur, “I, uh… that was so… I can’t even _move_ right now. I just want to hug you right now, and I…” He squeezed Light’s hand as tightly as he could, and closed his eyes again as he said fiercely, “I _love_ you. Thank you for showing me… for letting me do that.” _I always suspected what you were trying to do, but now I KNOW. Now I understand why you would keep going._ Softly, “It’s not _just_ how it makes you feel when you write a death that sticks, is it? That’s part of it, but… it’s knowing that there’s one less person in the world spreading misery and _hate_ to everyone they touch. Knowing that, bit by bit, the darkness is being pushed back. That people are getting their _lives_ back, and the future victims of those people you take out will _have_ a future now.” He was trembling as he said that, clutching at Light’s hand and just enjoying the warm weight of the teen against his back.

 

Light nodded at L’s words, feeling all of it so deeply. He exhaled hard and pulled out slowly, rolling to his side and petting L’s back as he waited for him to turn towards him. When he did, Light embraced him and held him close, feeling like the architects of something _better_ even if others couldn’t see it. _Doesn’t matter as long as he can._ “I love you too, and...I was _thrilled_ to share that with you. And to have you see….” He was still euphoric and floating, but relaxing as his breathing started to normalize and heart rate slowed.

 

The minute Light’s arms closed around him, L exhaled in a loud huff, letting out a contented hum and melting against him. _I’m glad you let me in. To think, I might have missed out on this if I’d made just one wrong choice._ “I can’t wait to see what happens now,” L whispered, gazing into Light’s eyes and smiling at the feeling of fingers brushing hair out of his face, reaching up to trail his own fingers over Light’s cheek. “Think the world is ready for Kira and L to join forces? They’ll realize the truth soon enough.” An exhilarated chill went through him at the thought. “There won’t be a criminal _alive_ who will be safe from us.”

 

Laughing softly, Light stroked L’s hair back and gazed at him contentedly, “I guess we’re in this together now, you and I.” Closing his eyes, he murmured dreamily, “When the evening is spread out against the sky, like a patient etherized upon a table....” He giggled, thinking. _..more like euthanized._

 

L’s eyes were drifting closed when Light murmured a line from a poem he had read once upon a time, and he laughed softly, snuggling closer to whisper back, “There will be time to murder and create… and time for all the works and days of hands that lift and drop a question on your plate.” Pressing a soft kiss to Light’s mouth, he giggled, and stroked the tip of one finger down the teen’s nose as he murmured, “Time for you… and time for me… and time yet for a hundred indecisions. And for a hundred visions and revisions.” _Because lord knows we’ll still have to adapt our plans as we go. But we have the time._

 

Light forced his eyes open and picked up the death note, placing it and the pen on the nightstand beside their bed. Quietly, “I doubt Ryuk will wake you up tonight. Will you sleep with me here? I know you could use it. Busy day tomorrow.” He reached over and turned the lamp off, pushing the covers down underneath them both and pulling them over their naked bodies. Snuggling into L, “Let’s sleep in like indulgent fools and have breakfast in bed. I can’t think of anything better than that.” He kissed L’s forehead, his cheek, his lips, melting into it gently now that their passion was sated.

 

Smiling, L watched Light place the death note aside, and he stretched experimentally, gratified when his limbs responded this time. “I don’t think I could go anywhere else if I wanted to, Light. I’m happy to stay here with you, so long as I get pancakes with lots of fruit on them in the morning. Sound good?” He giggled to himself, knowing that he would stay in bed with Light no matter what, and content to just melt into the sweet kisses, eyes closing again as he held him close.

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The poem they are quoting is “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” by T.S. Eliot (https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poems/44212/the-love-song-of-j-alfred-prufrock)


	36. Mission Statements

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> L wakes up with new purpose after officially joining Kira, and they talk about how their joined forces might work together.

~~sometime after 7am the next day~~

 

The feeling of warm breath on his face, and weight over his rib cage, was foreign enough still that L found himself coming out of sleep a little more quickly than normal, and before he opened his eyes, he did a mental check in of his surroundings. Big, comfortable bed, not the one he’d been sleeping in for the last few months. The aforementioned warm body in the bed beside him. The faint light streaming in from the wrong direction. The room was colder than it should be, and he thought he heard the sounds of flapping coming from the living room. L cracked one eye open, eyes adjusting quickly to the dim light and found himself smiling to see the still-sleeping teen lying beside him with one arm draped across his stomach. _How tired was I last night?_ he wondered, then sighed as he sat up gingerly, reaching over to stroke at Light’s cheek and kiss his forehead softly before easing out of the bed to slip to the bathroom. Catching sight of the time, his eyes bugged out, and he found himself inwardly musing, _More accurately, how DRUNK was I?_ His head hurt a little, more pounding than painful, though he suspected it could have been _much_ worse. And he had only slept in a few hours longer than normal, but honestly, even _that_ was a big deal in his eyes. The running water seemed a little overly loud as he washed his hands, but it was still bearable. Peeking his head back into the bedroom to see Light still sound asleep, L grabbed a bathrobe and wandered into the living room to see Ryuk settling down in front of the TV, and he couldn’t help but snort.

 

“I thought I heard you flapping around. Bored again?” L asked, voice hoarse from sleep as he stepped into the kitchen, grabbing an apple and tossing it to the shinigami, and he pulled the fruit plate and some cheese out of the fridge before settling onto the couch, munching.

 

Ryuk had been staring mournfully at the blank TV for the past 30 minutes, but to him it had literally felt like an eternity. “Lawli!!” He caught the tossed apple gratefully, zooming over to perch on top of the piano next to L as he started to munch it. He’d devoured half of it before forcing himself to slow down, oblivious to the pulpy bits of apple he was flinging on the immaculately polished Steinway. “Eh, yeah, a little bored. Always am when he has to sleep. Pfft.” He waved his half-apple towards the bedroom where Light slept. “Shinigami don’t have to do that. Well….they _can_ but just the lazy ones.” He straightened up proudly like surely no one would ever catch _him_ sleeping.

 

“What do you _do_ when Light is asleep, anyway? Since you have to entertain yourself.” L wanted to test out that piano again, once he’d gotten some food in him and gotten the energy up to make coffee. He didn’t want to wake Light up before he was ready, but a little bit of light food _before_ breakfast in bed wouldn’t hurt.

 

Ryuk chuckled at the question. “This, that, and ‘tother I guess. Depends on where I am. Humans are so superstitious ‘bout ghosts that sometimes it’s fun to pretend to be one. Moving their stuff or clattering things around. Sometimes I, uh….” He lowered his voice like he didn’t want Light to hear, “...go pet cats.” He shrugged, looking a little embarrassed. “Don’t laugh! I like cats, mkay? And we don’t got them in the Shinigami Realm so I pet ‘em when I can.” He ate the other half of the apple, lounging on top of the piano as he lowered the core into his mouth. “Can we get a cat?”

 

Wincing, L looked from the bits of apple on the piano to Ryuk and then back again, staring pointedly. “I didn’t know shinigami could sleep.” He couldn’t help but think that maybe Ryuk would be a little less bored if he took short naps once in a while when Light was sleeping. The idea of Ryuk moving things around to freak people out was quite funny, and he couldn’t help but smile at that.

 

Ryuk shrugged, “Yeah we _can_ sleep, but the King don’t like it when we do.” He hunched himself over and crossed his eyes, lowering his voice in a parody of the King, “Shinigami should be killing not sleeping.” He straightened back up, grinning but still looking slightly guilty like he shouldn’t have done that. Lowering his voice, “Anyway, he’ll demote us if we do it too much, and I uh...don’t have many ranks to lose.”

 

“Wait, so you like cats, too?” Finally, he couldn’t stand it any more and he leaned up to wipe the bits of apple off the piano with the sleeve of his robe. “I would love to get a cat. Few problems with that.” Holding up a finger, L said, “One. We’re staying in a hotel, not an apartment building. Two. Would we keep a cat here, or at headquarters? And three, uhh… unfortunately, I can’t _have_ a cat unless I get a bunch of allergy medication.” _I would be okay with that if I ever end up settling down somewhere permanently, though. Hmm._

 

The shinigami briefly frowned when L said they couldn’t get a cat, “Light-o always says it’s a bad idea too. Guess I’ll just stick to petting strays.” Wasn’t like there weren’t plenty around and they seemed to like playing with him.

 

Eyeing Ryuk, L went to turn the TV on and started up the game console. “You want to play a game, I’m assuming, yeah? I don’t feel like playing right now, so I can put you on one player for a bit.” He was quiet for a long moment as he thought, bringing up the menus and handing the controller to Ryuk. “Hey... I hope you don’t think I’m mad at you, or Light, over the, ahh… the Naomi thing yesterday. It just came as a complete surprise-“ _Even though it really shouldn’t have…_ “-And I needed to process. I really appreciate that you were treating me like you could say anything to me, honestly.” Even saying _that_ much of an apology to someone other than Light felt weird, but he really _was_ appreciative of that particular trait of Ryuk’s.

 

Ryuk zoomed down to sit in front of the TV, large yellow eyes following L as he set up the game and trying to remember so he could do it himself next time. He shook his head when L mentioned the incident from yesterday, he knew L wasn’t mad even if he hadn’t apologized. Ryuk had seen how he was with Light (definitely not mad) and seen him write in the death note, although he wouldn’t mention that part. “Pfft. Water under the bridge.” He scratched his head, “Think that’s the right human phrase?” He turned to the game and was quickly absorbed into it.

 

L left the shinigami to his game and wandered back to the kitchen to fiddle with the coffee maker, eyeing the doorway to the bedroom. Surely Light would be waking up soon, maybe he could have coffee ready by then. Smiling, L looked over at Ryuk once he’d figured the machine out (and really, he _should_ learn to use some of these basic everyday machines if he was going to start acting like an actual, functional adult), and even though he had the feeling that Ryuk was not paying the slightest attention to him anymore, he said, “Yeah, that’s the right phrase.”

 

Light had just woken up and reached across the bed, frowning sleepily as it was empty. He cracked an eye to look around but L wasn’t here and the bathroom light was off. _I guess I could get up and go look for him but I’m enjoying being lazy for once._ Instead he called out, “L? Where’d you go? Come back to bed and let’s order breakfast.”

 

L set the coffee to brewing and was wandering over to the piano when he heard Light’s voice from the bedroom, and he immediately changed direction, going to stand in the doorway.

 

Light smiled to see L in the doorway and held out a hand for him, “How long have you been up, hmm?”

 

“Morning,” L said, smiling fondly at Light. “I just put some coffee on, it… _should_ be ready soon.” _Provided I did everything right_ , he thought, face flushing slightly as he made his way over to climb back under the covers, shedding the robe and tossing it at the foot of the bed before snuggling back down next to Light. It wasn’t that complicated, he was sure, and he had erred on the side of using the actual coffee maker rather than the espresso function. _Stupid multifunction machines._ “I was hoping to have it ready for when you woke up, but this works too.” Pressing a kiss to Light’s cheek, L draped an arm across his side and asked, “Sleep well?”

 

Light settled into L’s arms when he climbed back into bed, “I _did_ sleep well. I was _trying_ to wear you out so much you’d sleep normally too but maybe I just have to try harder.”

 

L laughed at that, and murmured into Light’s hair, “I got plenty of sleep. Considering I _usually_ run on two or three, even five is a big deal, and I only woke up…” A quick glance at the clock made him smile. “A half hour ago at most?” _Maybe I won’t tell him I was a little disoriented when I woke up this morning. I’m going to blame the alcohol._ “You wore me out pretty good already, but if you’re planning on making it a _regular_ thing to ravish me multiple times a day…” L’s arms tightened around Light and he kissed him soundly before whispering, “You won’t find _any_ complaints from me.”

 

Light giggled into the pillow, closing his eyes contentedly as he remembered the prior night. “Coffee sounds divine, but let’s order up some breakfast. I want to look over the news a little and see if the Russian media is reporting any deaths.” It would be interesting to see whether the media would dare cover it given who these men were, and maybe if it were only one or two they probably wouldn’t have. But given the scale and timing, it had to be obvious it was the work of Kira and that alone might trump any shroud of secrecy.

 

Reluctantly, L pulled away as Light started talking about checking the news. “Should we wait to do that until we have one of our laptops here? I’m certain you have just as many encrypted channels to go through as I do, and I don’t know if Japanese media will bring up the Russian deaths.” On the other hand, this _was_ a suite intended for foreign visitors and dignitaries, so someone checking up on world news wouldn’t be overly suspicious. Tracing fingers idly against his mouth in though, L finally shrugged and conceded, “But if you’re not worried, feel free to pull it up on the TV.”

 

Light had already practically memorized the room service menu and mentally ran down the options. “I’d like...the french toast and maybe some fruit. I guess if you’re already making coffee that’s taken care of. Oh, some orange juice too.” He ran his hand down L’s body, not trying to start anything per se but just enjoying touching him. “How are you feeling by the way? I hope you at least got _some_ sleep.” He looked up and make a face, just now registering the noises of Mario Kart coming from the next room, “That dummy didn’t wake you up again did he?”

 

L was already stretching out to see if he could find the room service menu when Light’s hand smoothed down his side, and a pleasant shiver ran through him as he smiled, laying back down to tug Light against him, enjoying the feel of the teen’s skin under his own fingers. “Memorized room service already, have you? What are my pancake options? Any pancakes with whipped cream and berries, or will I have to cobble something together?” Laughing, he added, “And don’t be hard on Ryuk, he didn’t wake me up this time.”

 

Light grinned, “Uh huh, I memorized it, at least the breakfast part. For pancakes you have regular buttermilk ones with orange butter _or_ cinnamon chocolate with honey. You’ll probably have to ask for whipped cream but I doubt they’ll turn you down. The french toast has berries and vanilla whipped cream though.” He yawned, reaching over to take the cordless phone from the nightstand and hand it to L to call in the order, grabbing his own phone as well. It wasn’t as early as he’d first thought and if L had only woken up 30 minutes ago he’d gotten _decent_ sleep.

 

“Well, if you’re _already_ getting french toast…” L laughed, toying with the phone. He was already planning on getting the mixed berries to put on his pancakes, anyway. _Those cinnamon chocolate ones sound amazing, though._

 

Light sat up slightly against the pillows, setting up an encrypted VPN on his phone. “No need to rely on the TV, I doubt the hotel will get any Russian news networks that would be breaking this.” He routed his signal through a few mirrored shadow servers in Switzerland, scrambling his IP address, “I’m hidden but the problem is…” He turned to L and laughed, “I can’t read Russian. But you can right? Maybe after you call in some food?”

 

“I was thinking the world news might pick up on some of the reporting, depending on how quickly the news broke in Russia. After all, the whole _world_ is watching Kira.” That brought a smile from L, and he reached out to stroke a hand down under the covers slightly, squeezing at Light’s thigh as the teen finished setting up his encryption. “But it probably _is_ better to get it straight from the source. I’ll translate for you.”

 

Light craned his neck to look into the living room, glad to hear that Ryuk hadn’t woken L up this morning. “That reminds me, we need to send him on some errands today and we’re running low on apples. Better add that to the room service list.” They’d need some handy if Ryuk was going to have to visit L’s place _and_ his, and he’d need to keep it relatively simple if he expected anything to actually make it back here intact.

 

“Which errands do you mean? He’s just picking up boots, laptop and hard drive for _me_ , and the computer stuff can just fit in my backpack if I give it to him. I have _no_ idea what all you’re going to need. Why don’t we just send him with both empty backpacks, and he can fill mine up with whatever won’t fit in yours?” Smirking, L poked Light playfully in the side, watching what he was doing before sitting up, himself. “What kind of fruit do you _want_ , other than more apples? I know they have a good selection.”

 

Light heard the coffeemaker beeping in the next room and reluctantly slid out from the covers, “Oh, I’ll have mango as the fruit.” He wandered into the kitchen and took a couple of mugs down from the cabinet, filling them as he considered how wise it was to let Ryuk fly across Tokyo with a backpack. He knew that anything that couldn’t fit in his wings could be seen, and that would look pretty odd, but Light did not trust him with something as delicate as a laptop just shoved into his wings. He added milk to his coffee and exactly ten sugar cubes to L’s ( _oh god I really did that)_ , taking the mugs back into the bedroom. He handed L’s mug to him and climbed back into bed, leaning back against the headboard as he sipped his coffee contentedly.

 

“Mango, gotcha!” Grinning, L watched him walk out of the room, and punched in the number for room service. He was glad when they answered promptly, and relayed their order, adding, “And if you could put the berries _on_ the pancakes instead of on the side, and add whipped cream, that would be wonderful, please… yes, I would still like the butter on them… Thank you.” The woman on the other end asked him to hold, and L just rolled his eyes at that, turning to smile at Light as he came back into the room with their coffee. “Thank you,” he murmured, sipping it and smiling. _He remembered. I wonder how much it pained him._ “They’ve got me on hold. But I ordered another dozen apples, and another bottle of soda for him, that should make him feel better about picking up our stuff, yes? “

 

“I guess a backpack is the best solution.” Light giggled into his mug imagining the citizens of Tokyo wondering about the mysterious flying backpack in Shinjuku. “I don’t have a lot of stuff for him to get from my place-- my makeup, maybe some clothes for you if you wanted to dress up for the concert. I can show you pictures of some of the things I have.” Better wait until there were plenty of apples around before broaching the topic with Ryuk.

 

L’s eyes lit up, and he grinned at the teen, “Oh, yes, _definitely_ let me see pictures, I want to see how outlandish your wardrobe is- yes, hello, I’m still here.” He set his coffee down, holding up a finger to Light for a moment as he listened, and nodded, saying, “Thank you.” L hung up the phone and handed it back to Light with a smile. “Said it would be twenty minutes. Let me get a look at what they’re reporting, yes?”

 

Light waited for L to finish calling in their order then draped an arm around him to pull him close. He handed L his phone, “Alright, I pulled up a few of the major news networks. I think enough time has passed that at least _some_ of them would have been found.” He really did need to start learning more languages now that Kira was operating more and more globally, although it was excellent luck that L was proficient in so many.

  


L held the phone delicately, scrolling through articles with the tip of his finger, enjoying Light’s warm weight against his side. “Nothing but shit about their President, some Russian hoax going on, and a few stories of some Russian celebrity getting plastic surgery _again,_ ugh, who fucking _cares_ ,” he mumbled, frowning a little. He refreshed the page, hoping that maybe it was a glitch, but it turned out that they had been a little too _quick_ on the jump, because when the page reloaded, there was a breaking news story that sent a chill down his spine. “Oh, _here_ we go!”

 

He clicked into it excitedly, and as L read it through quickly once to himself, it felt like there was a live wire running through his body. “Okay, so it’s not much of an article, but the gist of it is that half of those men have been confirmed dead so far by ‘unknown sources’ - as in, Russian mafia doctors who are clearly going against orders to leak the information, or family members who don’t want to be targeted.” He glanced over at Light, grinning fiercely. “And the last lines of the article are thus.” Clearing his throat, he recited, “‘Every single one of these men were suspected of being a part of Russia’s largest child trafficking ring, among other suspects whose whereabouts are currently unknown. So far we have only received confirmation of these deaths, but for those of you who have been following these stories closely, there is only one thing to say. Kira’s justice has fallen on Russia today, and it was swift and ruthless. Criminals who once thought they were hidden will no longer be able to hide behind governments or organizations. _This_ reporter stands with Kira, and will keep everyone updated as more news comes in.’ _Damn_ .” L put the phone down and the grin only grew _wider_ at that. “That reporter is hard _core_. I hope the mafia doesn’t go after him.”

 

Light’s heart started to race as L summarized the article, an amazed smile spreading across his face that grew wider the more L said. He couldn’t contain his excitement and kissed L fiercely, laughing into it as he felt coffee sloshing against his chest. Pulling back, he grabbed some tissues and dabbed his chest, still laughing in near disbelief. “Shit….not only is the media _reporting_ it, they’re even feeling brave enough to declare for Kira?” He exhaled hard, setting down his coffee as he wasn’t able to focus on it anymore.

 

He repeated the last bit of the news story in his mind, feeling happy and smug as he turned to L in the bed. “Beyond just eliminating these men, this will be a signal to the whole world to be on their guard. Until now, Kira’s mostly focused on Japan...which was because of course _I_ was in Japan and had somewhat limited abilities to find people outside of local news sources.” It was L’s suspicions of his location after the Lind stunt that had given him the idea to test the death note in this way, and at first he’d designed it so it could look like Kira could be anywhere. He’d planned on expanded his use of this technique if it had worked, but now…”Between your contacts and databases, and fishing for information through the death note itself, there really isn’t anyone we couldn’t reach.” That probably wasn’t _technically_ true but nearly so, given enough time and persistence.

 

“Don’t forget your first wave of the biggest international criminals,” L pointed out with smug satisfaction. “You got a lot of attention right out of the gate with _that_. But yes, once this starts getting picked up by international news, the world will know that Kira isn’t fucking _around_.”

 

“Oh I hadn’t forgotten _those_ criminals. But those were the low-hanging fruit, and easy to find their info when it’s publicly posted on government websites.” Light had mined the FBI’s Most Wanted, Scotland Yard, any large police agency that maintained such lists. But as it became clearer where Kira might be looking, governments started hiding this information or just making it trickier to get to. “It got people’s attention but I was limited after that big stunt. Plus...I want us to take out the people the governments don’t _want_ us to know about. Plenty of corruption hiding plenty of awful people.” Once he’d been young and naive enough to put his trust in governmental institutions, but his eyes had been opened so many times as he grew up with his father as the Chief, and many nations were far more corrupt than Japan.

 

L laughed and hugged him, pressing against him as he whispered into the teen’s ear, “We are going to bring the world around to see that these monsters can’t go around destroying lives the way they have for centuries. I can give you a list of men just like these ones in every major country, given enough time. I already have a good deal of information on certain countries.”

 

Light took L’s hand, smiling at how excited he was, his enthusiasm was infectious. He hummed in satisfaction when L whispered in his ear about providing a list. “I can’t _wait_. The whole world will be reeling but... at some point I’ll have to make clear this is not about chaos, or anarchy. If governments topple I want _decent_ people to know they can step up and take the reigns without fear that I’m going after world leaders.” He took his coffee and sipped it, but snorted, “Although I imagine I’ll go after a few.”

 

Giggling, L gave Light a look as if to say, ‘well duh’, shaking his head as the teen talked. He had already guessed most of the reasons behind why Light had done the things he’d done, but he suspected that Light just wanted to explain out loud, maybe impress him. _You already impress me in so many ways, Light, I understand,_ he thought to himself, closing his eyes and squeezing Light’s hand.

 

One thing bothered Light slightly-- he really didn’t want people to place themselves in danger by declaring for Kira openly, but that is probably exactly what they had done. Thoughtfully, “That reporter was very brave, L. Makes me want to reach out to them in some way, and it would be good to have eyes and ears for Kira in global media.” He paused, because while there was a large wave of support for him in Japan, the wider world’s opinions of Kira were a blank to him. There were dozens, maybe hundreds of Kira-centric websites out there but it was all so disjointed and some were just crackpot conspiracy websites about Kira being the Illuminati or other nonsense. “Anyway, maybe just something to consider in the future as Kira’s reach expands.”

 

L pulled back and gave Light a meaningful look. “You’re right, we should probably think about how to contact the people standing with Kira. There are a lot more than you think. I’ve been monitoring the sites even before we met, and before the FBI incident, and I can tell who some of your supporters are, if you would like to start an actual movement down the line. People haven’t been brave enough to do meetups or anything like that, not yet, not even here in Japan. But public opinion in the States has a lot more support for Kira than vitriol towards him, and if we continue to do things like this, more people will come around.” Smiling slowly, L leaned in to press a kiss to Light’s mouth, trying to not seem too eager, even though this whole situation was making him giddy and excited as he murmured, “We should join up with one of those websites and send out a message to everyone, maybe. Put out a mission statement, as silly as that sounds... like with what Anonymous did. Something to let people know what we’re trying to accomplish, to get good people in positions to actually do something.”

 

Light nodded at the suggestion of releasing a statement online, it was something he’d thought of doing but none of the websites had completely appealed in one way or another. “It might be better to create our own website, at least then we know it’s secure and we can trust it. Releasing statements to someone else...they could tamper with it or be hacked.” He made a mental note to look into that later, and jot down some ideas when he had a free moment (like in class).

 

 _Create our own website…_ L’s eyes went wide at that thought, and he grinned wickedly as idle thoughts started forming into something concrete. “Our own website. With our mission statement.” _Well, your mission statement, but close enough._ “And forums.”

 

Light cut his eyes to L, “So will it be Misa then, who we hand over to INTERPOL?” Somebody would need to be, if L really needed to turn in ‘a Kira,’ and it would be two birds with one stone. _Out of my life and gets L out of the case._ But he felt a little twinge of guilt as to whether, despite the abuse and threats she’d made against him, she really deserved what was in store for a captive Kira at the hands of curious, angry police. _I’ll make sure she doesn’t live long enough to suffer, if it comes to that. Maybe there’s another way that saves her life and gets her out of mine..._

 

The question about INTERPOL stopped him short, and L frowned. “That’s the _only_ thing I’m not sure what to do about. If I give them Misa and Kira continues to operate...” Glancing at Light, he added, “And I _know_ you don’t want to stop. I don't _want_ you to stop.” Taking a deep breath, L blew it out slowly and said in a soft voice, “If we want to give them Misa to get me off of this case, we might need to stop Kira activity for a little while. Because otherwise, they won’t buy it.” L trailed off when it looked like Light was getting ready to say something, and sure enough...

 

“Interesting tidbit about the death note Ryuk let me know...if you give up ownership, which I fully intend to make her do no matter what, you forget everything to do with it, everything that happened because of it. Like wiping it from your life completely. She wouldn’t be able to give any information on me to anyone.” Light sighed, thinking it would take all his wiles and guile to get her to do it, but he knew he could manage. Leaning over to kiss L’s neck he whispered, “Would you like a note of your own, love? Soon I’ll have _three_.”

 

 _Holy shit. If she gives up ownership, she forgets everything?_ “Won’t that make it more difficult to give her to INTERPOL as Kira, then?” L asked quietly, thinking furiously. How to get her to say something on record about being Kira was the key, but it wasn’t like he could get close to her. It warranted further exploring, that was for sure, but... not right now. Not when Light was leaning over, not when his lips were moving over L’s neck like that, making him swallow hard and smile, looking down at the phone in his hands. “I would _definitely_ like one of my own,” he breathed.

 

The questions of what to do about INTERPOL, about Misa could wait in Light’s mind, given that much of the primary options he’d strategized depended on how successful they were in ridding themselves of Rem. “We don’t have to know now, but it’s something to keep in the back of our minds. I didn’t mean to bring it up as a real question, needing a real answer right this moment.” _But you’re right, I don’t want to stop. I want to give you a note of your own and have you be free to use it alongside me._

 

Light turned his attention back to his phone, opening up some pictures of him at various music events in some of the clothes that L might be interested to wear. “Here you go. Kind of runs the gamut from fishnet shirts to band tees...normal skinny jeans to tripp pants to, uh, leather.” He giggled at that, handing L the phone so he could peruse.

 

Laughing, L took the phone again as he said wryly, “Well, I will never say no to looking at pictures of you. Got any requests? I can already see quite a few things I might be interested in wearing.” There was a pair of tight black jeans that caught his eye. _Those would look great with my boots._ “What do you think, should I go for something a little scandalous? I could just imagine showing up in nothing but fishnet, tight jeans and that collar.” He laughed; that might be a little _too_ scandalous for his comfort, but it was something he might be able to work with if paired with an interesting shirt.

 

“Yes, let’s discuss what’s _truly_ important here. Our slutty outfits.” Light laughed at L’s comments about his clothes, reaching over to flick to a picture of a crop-top that he thought L would look fantastic in. “What about this? I suppose you could wear the fishnets if you wanted to, but that’s just one more thing to get off whenever we find somewhere to sneak away isn’t it?” Light smiled innocently, “Or should I use fashion savvy to try to convince you to wear as little as possible?” _I think the first tactic is more on point._ His eyes lingered on the collar that L was still wearing from the night before, trying to remember where he’d put the key. _Pants pocket._ “And yes...please definitely wear _that._ ”

 

L laughed softly when Light took the phone, clicking open another picture, and he stared for a moment before glancing back over to him. _I’d much rather see YOU in that top,_ he thought to himself, smiling wryly. It was still less scandalous than just wearing fishnet would be, and the thought of Light tearing it off him and fucking him in some bathroom was... _Jesus, why do I do this to myself?_ “No, no, uh... that _first_ argument is enough,” he said, voice a little hoarse at the mental images going through his head, and he didn’t miss the way Light was eying him. _Oh shit, I forgot I was still wearing the collar_ . He clicked back through the pictures as he said in a forced casual tone, “So... _that_ shirt, _these_ jeans, my old boots and... honestly, I’m not sure I want to take this collar _off_ at all today, so you’ve got nothing to worry about. I am most _definitely_ wearing it tonight. What do you think?”

 

Light grinned that his persuasion had hit the mark with regards to the clothing options.  He giggled and nuzzled into L’s neck, nipping at the collar when he suggested to leave it on. _Fuck, will we even leave this room if that happens?_ “I heartily approve of your idea, but if you keep that collar on all day I’ll definitely have _something_ to worry about.” Quieter, “But I’ll be good and control myself today, since I know you’re probably sore. We can leave that kind of fun for later.” He embraced L, feeling very free and happy, and getting more and more excited about seeing the show.

 

L laughed. “You _do_ realize that the only reason I’m going to be dressing ‘slutty’ is because it gets you going, _right_ ? It’s certainly not for anyone else, because all eyes are going to be on _you._ ” He tilted his head to give Light a little more room to get at his neck, rubbing his fingers up into the teen’s hair. “If I look even a tenth as hot as you, I’ll be happy,” L breathed, shuddering a little and giggling when Light said that. “But does this mean you want to take the collar off? I _like_ wearing it.” He pulled back and gave Light a sincere smile. “And not _just_ because I know you love the way I look in it. The truth is that I practically _lived_ in the first one. If it weren’t going to be such a drastic change, I would probably start wearing it all the time again.”

 

Light murmured before yanking L into a playful kiss, “Just don’t tease me past my limit you brat.” He groaned with the mental image of L wearing the collar _all_ the time, giggling into their kiss. _You’re not making it easy for me to behave._

 

L let Light pull him into the kiss, wrapping his arms around the teen’s neck before startling at the loud knock from the door of the suite. He could hear Ryuk cackling from the living room, and couldn’t help but groan. “Our trend of being interrupted by room service continues.”

 

Light’s head turned towards the front door when he heard the knocking, only just now remembering about the food. “We really do have shit luck when it comes to room service…”

 

“Would you rather get it, or should I answer the door like this?” L stuck his tongue out playfully at Light, sitting up and reaching for his robe, just in case. _And cue protest in 5, 4, 3, 2..._

 

”W-wait!” Light’s eyes went wide as he really took in how completely _fucked out_ L looked right now. “Um, better let me.” He hopped up and pulled on his pants, not bothering with boxers or his shirt as the knocking sounded again. He called out, “Coming!,” then mentally cursed under his breath as his pants _crackled_ as he took a step towards the door.

 

“Shit!” He looked down, seeing now that the large wet patch from the last night had become a large stiff patch that did _not_ move normally with the rest of his clothes. _Also it looks like a giant cumstain now._ “Fuckkk….” He looked around the room but he didn’t have any other pants, not until Ryuk brought him some. Light bit his lip and ran a hand through his bedhead, scooping up L’s jeans off the floor as he wiggled out of his soiled pants and hopped towards the front door while pulling on the jeans. Ryuk was in stitches, cackling loudly as Light tripped and caught himself against the counter, undeterred by the death glare Light shot at him.

 

“What, do I look _that_ bad?” L called as Light hurried out of the room, tugging on his jeans - and _that_ was an image he had never expected to see. He couldn’t help but grin, wondering how that was going to work out for him. From the sounds of Ryuk’s laughter, not well, and he couldn’t help the hysterical giggles escaping him, burying his face into his pillow to muffle them somewhat.

 

Finally, Light stood up and composed himself in front of the door, taking a deep breath before opening it. “Ah yes, thank--” _Oh no._ Recognition filled the eyes of the hotel worker on the other side, as it was none other than their waiter from the night before who must work room service shifts during the day. _Just act normal, not like he knew you were...oh god._ Hurriedly, “Thank you so much, we’ll be sure to remember to tip you in the bill.” He yanked the cart into the room and flashed the fakest smile he’d ever given anyone, slamming the door behind him.

 

Ryuk was rolling on the floor, pointing a talon up at Light. “Pfffft, nice pants.”

 

Light closed his eyes and pushed the cart straight over Ryuk, “Too bad you’re just phasing out of the way, I’m _trying_ to hit you.” _Damn it, why me…._

 

He finally cracked a smile, face aflame as he saw L in the bedroom. “Well…” He pulled L’s pants off which were both far too tight in the ass and too short, but hopefully that wasn’t noticed (by anyone by Ryuk). “Um...want your pancakes?”

 

L managed to stop laughing when he heard the cart wheeling towards the bedroom, and L sat up again, eyes dancing and an amused grin on his face as Light came in, face red.

 

“Oh my. Are you sure it wouldn’t have been better for me to go?” L teased, looking Light over as the teen tugged his jeans off. “Also, you’re not supposed to wear those around your waist, silly, I wear them low on purpose.” _Mostly because they’re more comfortable that way._ “Ooh, yes! Pancakes! Please!” He slid out of bed and limped slightly over to the cart, picking through everything until he found his pancakes, carrying the plate over to the bed and stretching out on his stomach, swinging his legs in the air like a child. “So… what was all the fuss about? It sounded like you were having a, uh… a slight _crisis_.” He cut a bite, bringing it up to his mouth only to pause as he smiled. “More tips, huh? Who was it?”

 

Light huffed, smoothing his hair away from his face, “It went just _fine._ Never you mind---”

 

Ryuk stuck his head in and blurted out, “No it didn’t.” But he ducked back into the living room when Light threw a salt shaker at him.

 

“Quiet you!” But he couldn’t help but giggle himself, plopping on the bed in resignation as he tugged his own tray over. He cleared his throat, jerking his chin just a little, “It _might_ have been our waiter from last night. But he’s gone now and food is _here_ …” He broke off into laughter again, giving L a sheepish grin. “Ok so maybe your pants are a little tight and I definitely fell on my face trying to get to the door--” Loud cackling came from the next room and Light closed his eyes, picking up the silver tray topper and having to grip it not to hurl it into the living room. _Think of the piano, think of the piano._ Opening his eyes and letting out a long breath, he daintily set the topper aside and picked up his eating utensils. Muttering, “I swear that shinigami gets the most entertainment out of me making a fool out of myself.”

 

The french toast looked delicious though, and the first bite was enough to make him feel halfway back to normal again. “But, yes, I guess the poor man deserves another large tip for...being confronted with the confirmation of his suspicions.” He giggled around a bite of toast, the embarrassment fading as he finally started to enjoy the meal.

 

L was giggling around his fork at the exchange between the two, shaking his head as he finally managed to swallow his food. “His suspicions that the two guys he was serving the night before were most _definitely_ at _least_ eye fucking across the table? And _actually_ fucking after getting out of the restaurant?” He grinned. That was merely supposition on his part, but given the intensity of their flirting the night before, completely aside from what had been happening under the table, he was pretty sure the sexual tension would have been obvious to anyone in a ten-foot radius from them. “So if I had answered the door, it wouldn’t have been any worse, then. Besides, I’m pretty sure that lady from the Sakura Hotel knew we were fucking, too. It’s not exactly like we’ve tried to hide it so far.” L leaned in close and placed a kiss to Light’s stomach, smiling up at him before going back to his pancakes. They were delicious, especially with the fruit and the whipped cream.

 

Light took a sip of his juice, trying to not to consider too deeply the impressions of that waiter. “To his credit, he was far more composed and professional than I was. I’m still getting used to...being with someone, namely a man, namely _you_ .” He smiled down at L when he leaned to kiss his stomach, feeling grounded and possibly teased. It was still a challenge sometimes not to obsess about propriety and how he appeared to others for a myriad of reasons-- cultural, family, and just how he’d usually interacted with the world until he’d been honest with L. _Probably why I get such a thrill throwing off those conventions or subverting them._

 

Once he’d made some decent headway on the pancakes, and taken the edge off of his hunger, L set his fork down on the plate and stretched out onto his side, trailing his fingers in some of the excess whipped cream and licking it off. “By the way, I had some thoughts on your comment about creating our own website.” He paused for a moment to see if Light would react to the notion in any way, and he smiled at the tiny nod Light gave him, as if to say ‘Go on.’ “Okay, _so_ . You know our generation has such a short attention span that if Kira doesn’t keep things interesting, he’ll be yesterday’s news quicker than you can say Snapchat.” He giggled, biting at a fingernail. “Well, people were _living_ for what you did with Truize. The memes _alone_ were worth it, and that’s garnered a _lot_ of buzz. If Kira wasn’t _already_ a household name, it is _now_. You’ve got people interested, now you need to keep the momentum going.”

 

Light cut into his mango as L turned a little thoughtful, Light could see the machinations behind his eyes before L even spoke up. Unfortunately, the first parts of what L were saying were completely lost when Light spied him licking whipped cream off his fingers in a very _enticing_ way. _You really aren’t helping with my resolve to behave today, are you?_ He took a deep breath, sneakily shifting his tray in his lap to hide his nascent erection, and tried to focus on L’s words and not just his mouth. He speared some fruit and ate a few bites as he listened, but it was also turning him on just to see L’s excitement about these ideas, ideas that would further Kira’s plans--- now their plans.

 

Shrugging, L cut another bite of pancake, licking away the whipped cream as he continued, “Any _good_ PR rep tells their client the same thing. What you need is to do a few more kills like that while we figure out the Misa situation, not too close together, but enough to make people _want_ to reach out to you. To connect with you.” He leaned forward, serious now in his excitement. “If we have our own website, and forums, that will give them what they want. A direct link to Kira. It makes you more real, more _accessible_. It can help build connection, make people _want_ to support you. That’s how actors or musicians get such crazy followings, those connections.” Stuffing the forkful in his mouth, he chewed for a moment before speaking through the tail end of it, “Besides, having our own website could _also_ be a way for people to feed us information, give us tips on the criminals who are in hiding, or just suggest interesting or creative deaths to keep the news media entertained… and Kira can choose the most interesting ones and let the _world_ make it go viral. Again. Building that support base, giving people something to believe in.” _Besides, that could be MY contribution starting soon. Buy the domain, give you the outlet to really CONNECT with the world, to truly SEE how many people support you already._ Smiling, L swallowed and asked brightly, “What do you think?”

 

Laughing quietly, “So you think that Kira might become a modern god, one with a social media presence and a _somewhat_ direct line of communication, hmm? I like it. I’ve never shied from the spotlight and you’re right, these are tools we can and _should_ use to garner support. Winning the war of public opinion would be the best tool of all.”

 

 _Become a modern god, hmm?_ Giggling, L said, “A modern god like the Technical Boy, or maybe Media.” The look on Light’s face told him the reference was lost and L shook his head. “Never mind, it’s not overly important. But you should read American Gods, it’s very good.”

 

Light set his fork down, leaning back on his hands as he considered it. “I’m less interested in catering to the masses than corralling them; the last thing I want is to have my purpose and ideals swayed by popularity polls or the whims of followers. I’m all for having a more…” He smirked, “... _personal_ relationship with Kira. But it needs to be clear where the power and the decisions reside. Not with them. With _us._ ” _I know you understand._ Grinning, “So a few more deaths like Truize, hmm? Yes, I think we can do that. We might go even bigger this time and take down someone in a place of power and not just celebrity.” From the perspective of the world, seeing a global oppressor fall would be very satisfying as well as entertaining.  

 

L’s pancakes were rapidly disappearing as he listened to Light’s commentary, nodding as he chewed and smirking back at him. _The only one with a truly PERSONAL relationship with Kira will be me, Light._ Swallowing, he pointed out, “Truize may have been a celebrity, but he had his fingers in a _lot_ of pies. He was thinking of running for office, last I had heard.” And thank goodness Kira had bumped him off before _that_ could happen.

 

Light made a face when L said that Truize had been thinking of running for office, scoffing, “Ugh, he can’t even manage his pants let alone being in authority.” He snorted, meeting L’s eyes and pointing his fork, “And don’t you start about me being unable to manage my pants either, it was your pants that were causing me trouble.”

  



	37. Tease and Break

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Light and L’s plotting ends up with them eating more than breakfast, with unintended consequences.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smutty chapter ahoy after the first few paragraphs (and then more story at the end).

It didn’t escape Light that as Kira’s reach and involvement with the world expanded, he’d need a small inner circle to do things he couldn’t always do himself. “Eventually we’ll also need a few people we can trust, properly vetted, of course. I don’t doubt those wishing to help us are legion, and there’s a lot we can do from a place of total anonymity. But that will only get us so far. Even L needed a face to the world, someone to interact on his behalf. Kira will need hands like that too.” Light didn’t really know many people like that, although L might. His own circle of friends and acquaintances were likely best kept in the dark so he could maintain his normal student facade for as long as possible.

 

The last bite of breakfast went into L’s mouth and he flopped over onto his back, nudging Light’s knee with his toes. “I can think of a couple of people we can count on,” he said through his mouthful, smiling at the look on Light’s face. _Fine, I won’t be a heathen._ He swallowed the mouthful and stretched before sitting up and moving the tray in Light’s lap, draping his upper body across him. “Aiber is more loyal to _me_ than he is to Watari, so I think he would make a good public liaison for Kira if you wanted to go that route. And Wedy is the best security specialist I know, even better than Watari. I think they would be a great help.” 

 

Light looked down as L moved the tray and laid in his lap, giving him a smirk like _I know exactly what you’re up to, you ain’t slick._ Trying to maintain focus on finishing his breakfast and this conversation was becoming increasingly _hard,_ but he only shifted slightly as he cut up more of the french toast to take bites. Grinning, “Aiber was the one driving us in the limo, right? He seemed like an alright sort. Certainly liked to give you sass, which I approve of.” Light hadn’t met Wedy but he trusted that L would only have gathered people to him that were both extremely efficient and discreet. “I’d be happy to meet and talk with both of them after I join the team, but I want to make sure they’d be on board with it. I don’t want to _coerce_ people to follow Kira.” He laughed softly, “Well, maybe some of them I do, but the ones that will be most useful will do it because they are believers.” 

 

A quick glance up at Light showed that he seemed somewhat skeptical, and L frowned. “Of course, you’ll have to decide _that_ for yourself…” Sighing, he shook his head. “If it helps, I made the decision to keep Aiber and Wedy out of jail. Watari would have put them away. He eventually agreed that having a con man and a burglar with expertise in cracking tough security would be a considerable asset, but it was _my_ gut instincts to keep them. I think they would join us, but I’ll let you decide for yourself once you get to know them.” He dipped his fingers in the remaining whipped cream and deliberately licked it off this time, smiling up at Light.

 

Light looked L in the eyes and said deliberately, “It’s good that you feel they’re loyal to you. Because I _do_ trust your judgment. If you think they’d be useful, I believe that.” _Especially if it was your gut instinct and not Watari’s meddling that kept them around._

 

Anything else Light wanted to say flew right out of his mind when L swiped more whipped cream and licked it off. _I guess breakfast is over._ He raised a playful eyebrow, “If I didn’t know better I’d think you were trying to start something. Here we are trying to have a strategic meeting and L is playing with his food.” 

 

L couldn’t help but smile happily when Light reassured him that he trusted his judgment. It was nice to hear, even if it smarted slightly that he was still not completely over the blow to his pride. But he couldn’t really care _too_ much when the next words out of Light’s mouth were calling him out for playing with his food. “You seemed to _like_ watching me lick whipped cream off my fingers,” he said, going for innocence for a moment before just giggling and lowering his face to nuzzle at Light’s thigh, licking over his skin and huffing at the taste of dried sweat _and come_ from the night before.

 

Light giggled as he picked up his tray off the bed and set it back on the cart. “Although I don’t know what I expected, given L’s the type of detective to jerk off to his prime suspect when he was _supposed_ to be surveilling him.” He stroked a finger down L’s arm, “And I wonder what kind of work ethic I’ll find when I join the team? I’m practically expecting a bacchanalia at this point. Will I be expected to blow you under the desk when you’re debriefing INTERPOL?” He gave L a wicked grin, quite liking that mental image. He pushed his hips up slightly, pressing his erection against L’s shoulder as his hand traveled down L’s chest to wrap around his cock and give it a teasing squeeze. “Is that the kind of job credentials I’ll need to provide on this interview, _boss_?” 

 

“Oh, I am _highly_ motivated when I want to be,” L murmured, shivering at the fingers trailing down his skin before his breath caught. Dueling sensations of fingers wrapping around his cock and the slide of silky skin against his shoulder, along with that dirty question, were all sending hot waves of _want_ through him.

 

Light slid L off of his lap and crawled over him, continuing to stroke him as he bent to press kisses and licks against his chest. “Or maybe I’ll just be a glorified waiter, sent to bring you sugary treats when your blood sugar drops the minutest fraction?” He released his grip on L and scooped up some whipped cream, leaning back to trail it down L’s shaft. Licking the rest off his finger, he held L’s gaze a moment before bending down to slowly lick all that whipped cream off and swirling his tongue around the head before giving it a teasing suck. Light licked up the sides, pushing L’s legs apart and then gripped his hips. “Unfortunately I have no references to provide, but I could demonstrate what skills I could offer.” He paused and looked up L’s body, a devious smile on his face.

 

It took all of L’s effort to keep his voice even (if a little breathy) as he said, “I already _have_ a glorified waiter on staff. I’m looking for someone with a much more _hands on_ approach to problem-solving.” He was honestly a little disappointed at first when Light moved him off his lap, because he’d had his _own_ plans, but he couldn’t be mad at the way Light’s mouth and hands felt on him, stroking and kissing and licking... _especially_ when Light began _licking whipped cream_ off of his dick.

 

“Oh _shit,_ ” he moaned, eyes wide as he watched Light’s mouth, and his fingers were in his own mouth with the need to do _something_ with it. After a moment, he pulled them away, saying in a ragged voice, “ _Ohh_ yes, a demonstration is definitely in order. _Impress me_.” Grinning, he reached out to stroke Light’s cheek, stuffing the fingers of his other hand back in his mouth and sucking on them as he watched eagerly to see what Light would _do._

 

Light licked his lips as he watched L sucking his fingers, momentarily distracted, before looking back down at L’s engorged member. “I live to impress.” He blew warm air over it, settling on his stomach between L’s legs and tracing his lips down the hot flesh. Light had gotten many fantastic blowjobs from L and he wanted to return the favor, taking his time to drag his tongue up and down the underside, tracing along the ridge of the head and flicking against the hole. His hands scratched lightly up L’s stomach to his chest, reaching to play with his nipples as he took just the tip between his lips and sucked. He may not have been able to tie cherry stems quite yet but he remembered the movements L had done to him and mimicked them now, humming when he tasted salty precum. _Must be doing something right._

 

It didn’t take very long for L to tug his fingers back out of his mouth, instead opting for fisting his fingers into the sheets as Light teased him, a low whimper leaving him when Light began mimicking some of his _own_ tricks. _He’s been paying VERY close attention_ , L thought dazedly, sucking in a harsh breath and toes curling into the mattress as he stared down in surprise. Light wasn’t perfect at the technique, not yet, but that hardly mattered when it still felt _incredible_. “You’re picking that up just from me doing it to _you_?” he breathed, giggling delightedly, enjoying the way the teen was playing with his nipples. 

 

Light gave L’s nipples a pinch and hooked his arms under L’s legs, tilting his hips so his cock slid deeper into Light’s mouth. Bobbing a few times, he relaxed his throat as much as he mentally could and slid down all the way until his nose was pressing against L’s stomach. It was an odd sensation but the noises L were making were so encouraging he pulled back up and did it again and again, sucking hard on the upswing. After a minute he came up for a deep breath, grinning up at L with a messy, saliva-coated face. 

 

“ _Shit_ , your mouth,” L moaned, head falling back to the bed as Light bobbed and sucked hard, and it made him writhe and whine, pants and increasingly loud, agonized ‘ _yes!_ ’s leaving him before Light stopped. _What?_ His eyes shot open and he stared down with a pout, “Don’t stop!” 

 

Light pinned L’s hips down, bowing his head again to rub his whole face against the wet length, enjoying drawing this out a little more. He engulfed L’s cock and let his teeth edge up its throbbing length, just grazing softly to hint at danger but not deliver. Bobbing in earnest, he placed each swipe and rub of his tongue exactly where L was the most sensitive, meeting the man’s eyes and working now to _get him off._

 

When Light pinned his hips to the bed, L found himself reaching down, one hand clenching around Light’s shoulder and the other twisting into his hair, and he resisted the urge to guide the teen’s mouth back to his cock. He could be patient, though the teasing way Light rubbed his face against him pulled a breathless laugh from him. “Light-“ L started to say, only to clench his fingers harder in Light’s hair, letting out a ragged cry when he felt teeth scrape softly against his cock, and _holy shit that felt AMAZING_. “Fuck! _Light!_ ” 

 

Light’s eyes went wide as L’s hands gripped his hair and it suddenly occurred to him what was about to happen, feeling slightly anxious about whether he wouldn’t choke or gag. _That would be very unattractive._ But he wasn’t a quitter and kept bobbing and sucking, egged on by L’s moans and the way he throbbed in his mouth. 

 

Everything Light was doing now was bringing him closer and _closer_ to the edge, writhing in pleasure and staring down at the teen with parted lips and wide, glassy eyes until he finally had to moan out, “ _Fuck_ , Light, I’m going to-” Teeth scraped against L again, and his orgasm hit him without warning, hands clenching hard at Light’s shoulders as he bucked up into his mouth, emptying himself with a wild, drawn-out cry. 

 

L tried to warn Light but it was nearly simultaneous with the flood of saltiness in his mouth, not unpleasant just sudden, and he swallowed to try to keep up with each spurt. Finally he had to pull off of L’s cock and stroke him for the last bit of it, hacking softly as his eyes watered. _That was a LOT._ He smiled at L and wiped his chin on his shoulder, swallowing the last of it at the back of his throat and taking a few deep breaths. 

 

 _Holy shit,_ L thought as his body slowly came down from that amazing high.

 

When L went soft in his hand, Light released him and took a dinner napkin from the room service tray to clean up with. He laid down beside L and played with his hair, giggling quietly. “I think I have a newfound respect for your cocksucking skills. Not that I didn’t already.” He laughed a little harder, “I guess I still have to get the ending down a little better.” Light pressed a kiss to L’s cheek as he snuggled into his side, “Hope it was still alright though.”

 

L couldn’t help but feel a little bad for Light; he remembered _his_ reaction the first time he had tried to swallow everything down, and he hadn’t done much better. He smiled a little, nuzzling into Light’s hair and wrapping an arm around the teen’s shoulders. “That felt _incredible_ , Light,” he said softly, unable to stop himself from giggling happily over Light’s compliments. It was a nice little stroke to his ego, all things considered. “Don’t sell yourself short, you’ve got some moves, too. I, uh…” Blushing, L murmured, “I didn’t think I’d like the way you used your _teeth_ , holy _shit_. That was…”

 

He reached around to tug Light into an actual kiss, letting his hand wander down Light’s body to try and gauge how interested the teen was in getting off, himself. L broke the kiss for a moment to look Light in the eye as he said with a smile, “And _you_ don’t have to swallow. I just do because I, uh… I _really_ like to. In fact, I _love_ it. I’m glad that you like it, though.” 

 

Light let out a little sigh of relief, smiling when L praised him, that always settled his nerves. “Oh I _wanted_ to swallow but, um, I think I need a little more practice to get my throat to listen to me.” He chuckled into L’s shoulder, “I bet I could get you to help me out with that.” He let himself be pulled into a kiss, hoping the taste of french toast and orange juice would override anything unpleasant. He pushed against L’s hand when it wandered down his body, letting him feel for himself how interested he was. _That was hot as hell to see you come like that, of course I need to get off now._

 

“I would have _no_ problem giving you all the practice you could want,” L said with a laugh, eyes dancing at the thought of that. _And I finally got to come down your throat, like you teased me with last night. SO worth the wait._ A moment later, L found himself giggling as he remembered Light’s little bit of role-playing, and said smugly, “By the way, I would say your _mouth_ just got you hired. What would you like for your first _perk_ of the job?” _I hope you’ll let me get my mouth on you,_ L thought to himself. It’s what he had initially been aiming for earlier, after all.

 

Light was panting when L broke the kiss but smiled at L’s teasing, “Only my mouth? Don’t forget to put my full skillset to use.” Light pulled him closer, licking at L’s lips and thinking about them on his skin. “Well, seeing as how you’ve already given me a _raise_ , perhaps my new boss might instruct me on the requirements of my new position?” He stroked L’s cheek, tracing his thumb across his bottom lip and letting it slip inside. “I’m always open to some mentoring---oh fuck this…” He laughed hard, unable to keep it up. “I just need your mouth on me right fucking now.“

 

L let his eyes fall shut for a moment, enjoying the feeling of Light’s skin close against his, and when that thumb trailed over his bottom lip to slip inside his mouth, he smiled. “Oh… you _do_ , do you?” L murmured, opening his eyes again and smiling slyly, moving to sit up as he stared down at Light. He squeezed his fingers around Light’s erection and said mildly, “You need my mouth _that_ badly? _Right fucking now?_ ” Hmm. If he remembered correctly, Light had brought their toys into the bedroom, but where had he _put_ them?

 

“How desperately do you _really_ want my mouth on you?” L asked, glancing around the room casually. The teasing was as torturous for him as for Light, but he wanted to find that blindfold. “What would you be willing to let me do to get you off? Tie you up?” Actually, _that_ was an idea, too. “Blindfold you, maybe? Show you how _intense_ it can be, yeah?” He might save any kinkier ideas for some other time, those were _plenty_ kinky to be going on with.

 

Light huffed when L squeezed him, feeling himself throb back in return. Squirming slightly, he gave L a playful glare, “Yes I _do_ , are you really going to--” He trailed off as he noticed L looking around and it made sense as soon as he mentioned the blindfold. He breathed out, “Oh _hell_ yes.” He turned his head, jerking his chin to the nightstand where he’d gathered up all the toys to be out of sight but in easy reach. “In there.” Light was _really_ getting excited now, trying to push his hips into L’s hand to get a little more friction. _It’s going to be frustrating as hell if he tied me up but I think I’d like it._

 

“Listen, at this point there’s probably nothing I’d say no to. Blindfold, ropes...go for it.” He was intrigued by L hinting that it would be more _intense_ , and while usually his fantasies involved him being the one doing the tying and teasing, Light thought some role reversal would be very interesting. 

 

“Oh, you really _are_ eager to get off,” L laughed, letting Light go and straddling him now, leaning over to root around in the nightstand, tugging out the blindfold when he found it. 

 

Light grabbed L’s hips, growling softly, “Yes I _am_ , I think we’ve established that.” He grinned though because it was apparent L was enjoying himself.

 

“Hmm… if I leave your hands free, how likely are you to try directing me?” Not that L ever had a _problem_ with Light directing his mouth where it would be best put to use, he absolutely _loved_ it, but _he_ wanted to be in control of Light’s pleasure this time. He glanced down at Light, grinning a bit at the expression on his face before sensuously rolling his hips down into Light’s lap. A soft whisper passed his lips as he leaned in to press a kiss to Light’s cheek. “Can you let me take over and show you how _good_ it feels to give up control for just a little while?”

 

Trailing his lips along Light’s skin, L licked along his jawline before whispering, “Or do I need to bind your hands this once to ensure you don’t forget yourself?” He held up the blindfold questioningly when he pulled back to look at Light.

 

Light considered L’s question only a moment before giving him an incredulous look, “You better tie me, and make the knots tight.” When he got close to orgasm he wasn’t usually in full control of _himself_ and not nearly enough to promise to give up control to someone else. “Unless you want me to grab your face and…” He shrugged innocently, but it was far more exciting to him for control to be taken and for him _unable_ to have it back than to give it up. 

 

He met L’s hips with his own, grinding upwards and digging his nails into flesh. All this teasing, the sultry words and small _tastes_ of L’s mouth, was getting him more and more worked up to the point he wondered how long he’d even last once he got the real deal. “But before you do any of that, I know I’m filthy so let me get cleaned up.” He picked L up at the waist and tossed him back on the bed playfully, “Your fault of course.” 

 

The way that Light told him to ‘tie me up’ sent a shiver through him. _Make the knots tight?! Oh God, you are so HOT_ , L thought, licking his lips as he smiled, a _delightful_ mental image going through his head at what Light would look like with his hands bound. It wasn’t as _much_ to his tastes as the idea of Light fucking his mouth (and holy _hell_ , did he love it when Light did that), but he _did_ want to see what Light liked so much about it. A low yelp left him when Light’s nails dug into his hips, and he gripped at Light’s shoulders again, staring down with an amused, hungry look on his face, only to be tossed unceremoniously on the bed. Giggling, L called after him, “Oh good, now I get to make you dirty again!” 

 

Light headed into the bathroom and quickly got clean and brushed his teeth, feeling immediately better. _Ok, NOW I can enjoy myself. I was just too gross._

 

The sound of water running in the bathroom made L grin, and he scooted over to Light’s side of the bed, rummaging through the nightstand for the rope. _Do I want to grab any of the other toys?_ He considered for a moment, then closed the drawer and began testing out knots to find the best one to use. Something that would be sturdy, secure, but that he wouldn’t have too difficult a time undoing once they were done.

 

Light crawled back onto the bed, smelling much better. Smiling, he pressed an eager kiss to L’s lips, dipping his tongue in briefly before pulling back. “Alright, I place myself in your capable hands.” With a smirk, “And very capable mouth.”

 

L looked up with an eager grin on his face as Light came back in, crawling over to him and giving him a brief kiss. “Hmm, my capable hands,” L murmured, leaning back in for another kiss before pulling away. “I like that. Before you get comfortable…” He shifted around until he was in a stable position on his knees and grinned at Light. “Come here. And face away from me, hands behind your back.” 

 

Light shifted around on the bed and held his hands behind him as L asked, but gave L a dubious look over his shoulder. “Don’t you think you better tie me _to_ something? I mean...I’ll guess I can _try_ to behave.” _Because that always goes so well._

 

A thrill went through him when Light complied, and L pressed a soft, lingering kiss to his shoulder, trailing his fingers down Light’s arms and then back before laughing. Nuzzling his nose into Light’s neck, he murmured, “I _want_ to tie you down. It would certainly make you a bit easier to manage, since I know you won’t try very _hard_ to behave.” _And you and I have that in common_ , he thought, nipping at the teen’s neck in a soft bite before pulling away again. “Yeah, I can _definitely_ tie you down if I tie the rope off on the legs of the bed, but that would require me grabbing more rope from my bag. Would you _prefer_ that?”

 

Light wiggled in L’s arms, sighing as hands trailed over his skin. “Come on, you’re just drawing this out on purpose, aren’t you? Just do it already.” It wasn’t easy to say what he’d prefer since he’d never done this before and didn’t know what L had in mind, but he was getting impatient. He pressed back against L, feeling a little sympathy for the position he’d put L in yesterday. _Frustrating!_ But that reminder just made him grin to himself, tossing his hair out of his eyes. “At least I got to know how you felt yesterday, but, yes, probably best to go get the other rope.” _Just be quick about it dammit._

 

“Guilty as charged.” L laughed low in Light’s ear, reaching down to give him a light squeeze before pulling away completely. “Poor Light, having to endure all this teasing after giving me what I wanted so _willingly_ .” It took him only a moment to find his bag and grab the rest of the rope out of the bottom of it, tossing two of the coils onto the foot of the bed and unwrapping the third one. “At least you can’t say I didn’t come prepared,” he said with a laugh as he settled beside where Light had laid down. L paused for a moment, debating on whether or not he should put the blindfold on Light first, or let him _see_ what he was doing. _I don’t want him to think I’m JUST copying what he did to me, though that would make for a fun little demonstration. And I did say I wanted to show him how it feels, but…_

 

L could feel the frustration radiating off of Light as he considered, and that decided it for him. With a chuckle, he began wrapping the rope around one of Light’s wrists, taking care not to wrap it _too_ tight before tying it off into a knot and leaving it be. “You’ll have to try and be patient for just a little while longer, Light,” he murmured as he repeated what he’d done on Light’s other wrist, with the new rope. He reached for the blindfold, making sure it was lying flat against Light’s skin as he pulled it snug around his eyes and tying it off.

 

For a brief flicker, Light thought about just saying to hell with this and pouncing on L. But he managed to stave the impulse and sit still while L tied the ropes to his wrists in a way that could be tied to the bed. Laughing, “Wow, how much rope did you buy? Although I think you can never have too much so…” He gave L one last smile before the blindfold went around his eyes, the world going dark. He immediately understood what L had mentioned earlier about other senses being heightened when vision was taken away. The slip and rustles of the sheets as he moved to lie down felt louder, his slightly quickened breath audible in his ears. It was a strange experience and he wasn’t entirely certain if he liked it or not, but it could also just be his frustration talking. 

 

L tossed the ends of the rope towards the edge of the bed and swallowed hard as he hovered over Light, guiding him slightly with a hand on the teen’s side until he was centered as close as he could be to the middle of the bed. Even though the picture was incomplete, yet, it was still enticing as hell. “Okay. You’re already pretty close to the center of the bed, so I’m going to get you to extend your arms out from your sides.” _Is this how he felt yesterday, giving me orders?_

 

L’s voice was a little breathless when he said softly in Light’s ear, “Good. I just need another minute. You don’t have to wait much longer.” _I want to take a picture of you like this, Light. Would he let me?_ It didn’t take him long to tie the ends of the rope off securely to the bed legs, making sure to give Light a little bit of slack, just enough to move around a little bit, but not enough to sit up. 

 

Light extended his arms out to the sides, his fists balling unconsciously, and tried to listen to what L was doing around him. The ropes tugged at his wrists one at a time and he tested the tension, feeling a thrill when it was apparent he wouldn’t be able to break free. Breathing out, “Shit…” He yanked them both at the same time making the bed frame creak softly under the force but it held. It was both thrilling and odd to be in such a vulnerable position.

 

When L returned to the bed, the first thing he did was kiss Light thoroughly, fingers clutching gently at his jaw, and when he pulled away, he whispered, “Can I take a picture of you like this, Light? Or do you just want my mouth _now?_ ”

 

Light’s head turned as he heard and then felt L closer, humming into the deep kiss and wanting _more_ now. But L’s question made him feel slightly panicked and he shook his head, “No, no pictures...at least not this time. I’m on edge enough as it is.” He understood why L asked, but Light was still on the fence about whether this was something he liked or would _want_ to see himself like this. “This is...um, making me a little anxious so let’s not, ok?”

 

 _Oh…_ That hadn’t been his intention. L’s smile fell a little, and he pressed another kiss to Light’s mouth before murmuring softly, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you anxious.” He straddled Light’s lap, stroking his fingers into the teen’s hair and kissing him deeply again, until he felt him respond positively again, and he pulled away with a low laugh. “I promised you my _mouth_ ,” he said, grinning even though he knew Light couldn’t _see_ it. He began kissing his way down Light’s body as he added in between each press of lips, “So let me make good on it.”

 

Light’s flicker of anxiety fled when L kissed him again, and he relaxed his arms and unballed his fists gradually. “It’s alright, this is just a very...new experience.” He arched his chest up against L’s mouth when he felt lips on his skin, smiling again. “But I’m beginning to see the appeal.” _Well, not literally see._ But that _was_ appealing, being unable to predict what L would do or where he’d be touched made him zero in the sensation and crave it, leaving goosebumps down his flesh as L went lower. 

 

L wasted no time in being a horrible tease once he had Light’s cock in front of him; he’d already done enough of that. Besides, he was _aching_ to just suck him dry now, and after a brief moment to lick across the slit, the moan that left him when he wrapped his lips around the tip and slid down was utterly satisfied. And, well.

 

He pulled off after a moment to say with a giggle, “You smell delicious.” Sucking at just the tip with a pleased hum, he released him again to say, “And you _taste_ better,” before sliding one arm under Light’s thigh to hold him in place as he slid down as far as he could go, letting his throat relax around Light before sucking hard. He only pulled halfway off this time before he did it again, and then _again_ , and okay, maybe he was showing off a little, but did it matter when Light clearly seemed to _love_ it?

 

Light gasped as L’s tongue swiped across his slit, breathing hard as he felt L’s mouth engulf him at long last. “Oh _fuck_ ...finally….” He pushed his head back into the pillow, intermittently moaning between L’s whispers about how he was enjoying it too. Light wanted to see what L was doing, loved watching him when he did this, but the thrill of being unable to anticipate made him giggle. That was quickly silenced when L took him deep, and he groaned, “ _Yes…_ .,” prevented from thrusting upwards like he was dying to do by L holding his leg down. He grinned up at the ceiling when L did it a few more times, breathing out, “Feels so good, _damn_ I love your mouth.”

 

L pulled off completely to take a deep breath, panting from the effort, and said with a smile, “If you want me to keep doing something, please tell me. I love to make you feel good.” He placed a gentle bite to Light’s ass before licking at his balls, dragging his tongue up the underside of Light’s cock and rubbing it over all of the most sensitive areas before taking the tip back into his mouth again, bobbing his head shallowly and sucking, humming as he began taking Light in deeper again. _Not that I don’t already know how to make you feel incredible, but tell me how you want it. I want to hear you ask me for it._

 

Light was writhing by the time L pulled off of him to breathe, unable to keep from pulling against the ropes and whining softly at the lack of sensation, “Oh don’t stop…” But L’s question made him smile and roll his hips to try to get back between L’s lips. He panted out, “Everything you’re doing...feels incredib-aahhhh aahhhhhhh.” His legs instinctively spread wider when L bit him and that sharp sensation paired with the softer licks at his balls were driving him crazy with need, his hands opening and closing in his restraints and toes curling into the sheets when L started to lick his cock again. “ _L…_ ”  

 

It was difficult to form words to even answer L’s question, feeling nearly drunk on pleasure, but he tried. “I want you to...edge me...get me close and don’t let me come.” It was what he’d do to himself when he was alone, or even when he fucked L. “Makes me come harder when...I actually get to.” He wondered if L had given him enough blowjobs to know when he was close. “When...you feel me throbbing and tense up….pull off, do something else for a moment.” It would probably make him incredibly frustrated and pissed if he wasn’t the one able to control it, but in a good way, as long as there was an eventual payoff. But if L wanted to see him _really_ fall apart, that would surely do it.

 

Smiling, L pulled off, trailing his lips against Light’s cock as he murmured, “So _that’s_ why you weren’t letting me come yesterday.” He swirled his tongue around the head, concentrating just under it until Light was throbbing against his tongue, and chuckled, bending his neck and pressing kisses to Light’s hips as he brought his free hand to trail his fingers lightly against the shaft. “It certainly _did_ make me come _hard_ .” To say nothing of how long they had been able to make last _night_ last, even _with_ the death note’s influence trying to push him to orgasm quickly. “Did you want to watch that video back when we download it to my hard drive?” _Still_ , he thought, going back to his favourite part and deepthroating Light’s cock as much as he could, fingers digging into Light’s thigh at the noises he was making, _I should absolutely focus on the here and now, since I’ve got him and his pleasure at my mercy_. 

 

Light melted into the bed as L licked him closer and closer to release, panting and muscles twitching as he felt that familiar tension coiling tighter in his gut. He thought for a moment that L was going to just let him come, ignoring what he’d said before, and at the moment didn’t care which it was. But right as he was teetering on the edge, gasping ‘yes...yes..,’ L pulled away and immediately placed filthy imagery in his mind about what that video contained, making him sit up to the end of the ropes. _Oh god, why would you mention that now…._ “FUCK!” He struggled against the ropes but was grinning wide, his needy erection jerking on his stomach untouched. Panting, he settled back down, humming as the sharpness of the need slowly receded. “Ahh...ah...knew you’d be a quick study.” _Again!_

 

The strangled way Light was speaking to him was _incredibly_ sexy, and L had to pull off again to catch his breath, kneading his fingers into Light’s ass as he breathed, “You sound so _fucking_ hot, Light. Makes me want you to fuck me _again_ .” He swiped his tongue up Light’s cock, gripping the base and squeezing before pumping him, laughing breathlessly. “If I weren’t so intent on making you come in my _mouth_ , I’d want to climb on top of you and ride you. But if I did _that_ , I might have to take the blindfold off, right?” L leaned down again, aiming another soft bite to Light’s ass before licking between his cheeks, moving on quickly to swallow him shallowly, bobbing his head and sucking hard a few times before pulling off when he felt Light tensing up.

 

Light nearly screamed when L deepthroated him again, so sensitive and so _close_ now that it felt anything would set him off. Anyone listening wouldn’t have known if he was in intense pleasure or terrible pain, except for the strained demands Light was growling down his body for ‘more,’ ‘faster,’ ‘don’t stop.’ But L _did_ stop, right when Light was about to shoot down his throat, only to tease him about climbing on top of him and getting fucked again. “ _God_ , I do want to fuck you again…” He thrashed in the bed but L and the ropes held him tight, and he was panting through clenched teeth now imagining the smug look on L’s face at what he’d been brought to. “I might do it even _after_ I choke you with my cum.” 

 

 _I don’t know if I want you to choke me with your hands or your come_ , L thought to himself with a muffled laugh, amused and turned on in equal measure by how much he was having to press Light’s hips back down. “Tell me when you _want_ to come, Light,” he said cheekily, grinning as he shifted, tugging Light’s hips up a little to give him more control as he slid his mouth down to the base, swallowing around him and pulling off part way before yanking his hips up to meet his mouth. Trying to prolong this was actually a little difficult for him, because he had wanted to see just how _quickly_ he could make Light fall apart, but Light was right; it was a lot of fun to see how often he could get Light close before the teen yelled at him, even if he lowkey wanted Light to fall apart right _now_.

 

The fury was wiped off Light’s face when L started bobbing again, making him devolve to soft whimpering moans, lips parted as he writhed. Tears sprang to his eyes behind the blindfold when L pulled away _again_ , and he tried to hook his free leg around some part of L to draw him back in, pressing his hips up only to have them pushed back down. “Aarrgh!” It was a furious kind of teasing but he _loved_ it, the anger of denial and need for more pushing adrenaline into his bloodstream that he couldn’t act upon. _That’s IT!_ He half-snarled at L, “I want to come right NOW! You’re lucky you have me in these ropes or I’d fuck your throat RAW!” 

 

Tying Light up had definitely been a good idea… and L was _definitely_ turned on by how much more fixated Light seemed to be with the blindfold on, to the point where he was having a hard time keeping up his pace. But seeing the way Light was falling apart because of him, especially in a way Light had _asked for_ , L couldn’t help but moan around Light’s cock, taking him in completely and sucking _hard_ , lips and throat working furiously now to get Light off as quickly as possible. This whole thing was so erotic, he _knew_ he wanted to do it again, and he couldn’t help but hope Light would want to as well, in the future. But for _now_ , the way Light was throbbing in his mouth and snarling at him was sexy enough that his hands were trembling with the effort of holding Light’s hips steady, his own hips pressing into the bed for more friction, and _oh fuck, Light, you are so damn hot!_ He squeezed Light’s ass again, thumbing over his entrance and sliding against his spit-slick perineum, mentally begging the teen to _just come already!_

 

Light heaved out a long breath when L took him in completely, and he shuddered in the ropes, trying to buck up into L’s mouth with little success. Some part of his brain knew that was counterproductive but he was past caring, his overwhelming need to get off overriding everything. The bed frame made an alarming cracking noise as he pulled against it that sounded like a gunshot to his sensitive hearing, but was mostly drowned out by a sharp scream of pleasure as he finally _finally_ gushed into L’s mouth. He could feel L swallowing around him, sucking the cum right out of him it felt like, and he arched hard one last time before sagging back against the ropes and pillows. 

 

Light hadn’t been kidding about coming _hard_ this way, because for a moment, L wasn’t sure he’d be able to swallow everything _down_ , but he managed even as his eyes shot open in surprise at what sounded like a cracking noise coming from the bed. He disregarded it until he had gotten every drop, pulling off of Light slowly and sucking him clean before pressing his face into the teen’s stomach, panting _hard_ and giggling.

 

As Light came down from that high, he had a vague feeling that the surface he was laying on was off-kilter. _Wow, L really outdid himself this time._ He rolled his head in the pillow, whispering, “Oh god...I feel so dizzy….fucking amazing.” But something really _was_ off because he was sliding slightly towards one corner of the bed and awkwardly shifted to move backwards in his weak, blinded state. 

 

L was so turned on that, at first, he didn’t realize that the bed was tilting until Light brought up feeling dizzy. Blinking, he glanced up and realized that they were sliding. “What the hell?” he murmured, voice slightly hoarse, scrambling over to the edge of the bed to look. _Shit. Shit!_

 

Light laughed softly, “L…?” He looked around but of course couldn’t see. _Uh oh, the rope on my right hand is slack._ “L...did I break the bed?” He giggled louder, trying and failing to push the blindfold off against his shoulder. He managed to push it up a little, enough to see that the bed was _definitely_ tilted. 

 

L began to laugh, breathless, somewhat hysterical, and could only laugh _harder_ when Light asked if he’d broken the bed. “Ummmmmm, yup,” he said, grinning sheepishly, and his face felt so hot that he could probably have cooked an egg on it, moving back over to Light to untie the blindfold.

 

“So. We broke the bed. From a _blow job._ I think that’s gotta be a first for _anyone_.” He giggled again, scrambling off the other side of the bed to untie the rope from the bed leg before tugging Light off of the bed, making sure to support the teen if need be. 

 

Light could not stop laughing, his already breathless state compounded by both the hilarity and awe of the situation. “I can’t…” He scooted off the bed when bed L pulled at him, leaning on the man a little to get his bearings. “....I can’t believe we did that.” 

 

“I can!” Shaking his head, L surveyed the damage, still giggling. “So, uh. Yeah, we’ll have to call this in right away to get them to replace the bed for tonight, if possible, otherwise we’re sleeping somewhere _not_ in the bedroom tonight.” Which was a real shame, because he quite liked this bedroom. And dear _god_ , he needed a shower. Looking at Light after a short pause, L asked with a wide, beaming smile, “You really think that was amazing? Not counting breaking the bed.” 

 

Light embraced L, giggling into his hair before kissing him. “Hell _yes,_ that was amazing. Sorry if I got...a little carried away at the end there.” He felt his own cheeks heating as he blushed, looking between L and and broken bed with an amused expression. “I guess this is our chance to get whatever bed we want though. They can’t make a fuss if we offer to replace it.” He nuzzled against L’s neck, “Mmm, if a certain rich bastard doesn’t mind doing that for his sexually destructive boyfriend.” His teeth slid against the collar, softly biting the skin just below it at L’s shoulder. Softer, “I’ll make it up to said bastard by taking care of this in the shower.” His hand slid down L’s body, fingers tracing over L’s still-present erection. 

 

A low whimper left L when he felt Light’s teeth against his neck, and the fingers tracing over his erection were sending shivers through his entire body. “I think the hotel is going to _expect_ me to replace it,” he said, snorting out another laugh at that as he melted into Light’s arms. _Holy shit._ Letting out a low hum of happiness and pleasure, L let his voice drop to a whisper as he added, “Especially if I’m going to _actually_ be extending our stay here at any point. I… quite like this suite, and I like feeling like I’ve got somewhere to call home for now.” _Especially if you’re staying with me._

 

Before they jumped in the shower, Light would give Ryuk the list of things he was supposed to get from their respective residences so they’d have some clothes to wear when they got out and before the hotel staff came. “And after a shower, we could wander the hotel or I could show you something in Shinjuku while they replace the bed, although we _will_ be going out later so maybe best to save any real sight-seeing for another day. Ryuk can go pick up our things in the meantime.”

 

“Uh….” L’s breathing sped up again, body heating up, and he was finding it hard to think about anything but what they had just done, and what Light was promising. “You, uh… you don’t know what my boots look like, do you?” He had somewhat described them, he was pretty sure, but he couldn’t remember at the moment. “Just, uh… just tell him I’m in room 1504 at the Imperial hotel, the boots are in the closet in the bedroom, and the laptop and hard drive are both in, uh… the top drawer of the nightstand. Probably should do that now, huh?”

 

Bringing up even that much pulled his mind off onto the topic of moving the task force to the Hyatt, and L nodded and smiled absently at Light’s comments before pressing a kiss to Light’s mouth and pulling away, wandering off in the direction of the bathroom. That was something he could do while they were exploring the hotel, was set up the new headquarters. And of course end the reservation at the Imperial. _And tell the others once I’ve set it up, that way they can move here with minimal fuss._ “Light, I’m going to start the shower,” he called belatedly, giving himself a good once over once he shook his thoughts away. 

 

Light nodded at L’s suggestion, giving his ass a slap as he headed towards the shower. “I’ll make sure Ryuk gets what you need.” 

 

The slap made L yelp, laughing a little as he stopped in the doorway and glanced back at Light with a small smile. He was a little surprised by how utterly fucked out he looked. _No wonder Light didn’t want me to answer the door earlier_ , L thought with a giggle, grinning as he chewed on a fingernail. He had to admit, as he turned the shower on, quickly stepping back out so as to not get the collar wet, that he kind of _liked_ this lazy, debauched look. “Oh, and do you have the key to my collar?” He tugged at the collar slightly to see how faded the bruises around his neck were. _Pretty faded. Damn._ Maybe he could get a repeat shower performance if Light was game. The thought sent a thrill through him, and he let out a huffing laugh.

 

Light gave the bed one more look, snorting at it as he grabbed a notepad and pen off the dresser and headed into the living room. Luckily, Ryuk was still engrossed in his game, seemingly unaware of any _ruckus_ that might have occurred for the past hour. He bent over the breakfast counter and scribbled the entirety of the list, being sure to include an extra change of normal clothes for them both. _I think that’s everything, and all that could fit in one backpack anyway._ He looked up, tapping the pen on the counter, “Hey Ryuk, buddy!”

 

Ryuk didn’t even look up, “Pfft. Whaddaya want this time….” He leaned to the left to avoid a green shell, whooping when he was successful. 

 

“How’d you like _four_ apples.” It was going to take a little bribery to get Ryuk to do this right, maybe more than that. “Four apples _and_ another apple soda, hmm?”

 

“Got my attention.” Ryuk gave him a little look over his shoulder, pausing the game as Light walked over to hand him the note. “Eh, what’s this? Shopping list?”

 

“Kind of. Need you to take my empty backpack and go get that stuff from my house and the stuff on the other side from the Imperial Hotel where L is staying. Shouldn’t take you long and you can get back to your go-carting. Also...if you’re _quick_ and don’t forget or drop anything, I’ll let you come to a concert with me later tonight.” Light knew that music was a weakness of Ryuk’s, he’d been to a couple shows since Light was Kira and ate the whole scene up. “Can you do that?”

 

“Oooh. Sure thing!” Ryuk perked right up, sticking the note in his wings as he hovered above the floor. “Can I have an apple for the road?” He opened his mouth and swallowed the tossed apple right down, chewing messily as he spoke, “Alrighty, be back in a jiff.” He zoomed into the closet and took Light’s backpack, barely able to jam it into his wings and phase out of the room. 

 

That done, Light went back to the bedroom and dug out the key to L’s collar from his pants. _Pity. Better leave the bed situation to L since he’s the one with the money and the room’s in his ‘name.’_ He walked into the now-steamy bathroom, holding up the key between his fingers with a grin. “It pains me to remove it, but I’m guessing it’s necessary.”

 

“Hmm?” Looking up, L met Light’s eyes in the mirror, drawn to the keys for a moment before snapping back to Light. With a smile, he said, “Yeah, I’d rather not ruin this after I _just_ bought it. So off it comes. I know you want me to never take it off, though.” Turning around, L made his way over, wrapping his arms around Light’s waist and standing up straight to kiss him. “Ready to get clean?”

 

Light reached around to grab L’s ass, kneading it in his palms. “Mmmhmm, clean and _maybe_ then dirty and then clean again.” Light smiled as his hands moved up to turn the key in the padlock and remove it, placing it on the counter before unbuckling the collar. Just the actions of touching it, focusing on it were enough to get him half-hard again, but really he wanted to wait to get off again until tonight so it would just be that much better. 


	38. Wanting and Liking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Light and L need to vacate the premises for the new bed to arrive but are as distractible as ever. L asks for Watari to keep tabs on Misa, and Light has to do damage control.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long chapter for the holiday weekend! Hope you enjoy!

The way Light seemed to be constantly grabbing his ass right now made L giggle, and he smirked up at Light, wiggling a little under his touch before murmuring, “Getting dirty in the shower with you is quickly becoming one of my favourite things.” He had to privately admit that his comment about _Light_ liking the collar _that_ much might have had just a teensy bit of (okay, a _lot_ of) projection in it. “But even if I like _looking_ like a kinky, sexed out freak, I _feel_ disgusting. So. Get clean first.” But there would be time for that later. For now L let his mind wander to the restaurants and other locations of interest in the hotel. He _definitely_ wanted to visit the pastry shop on the first floor, since it was his third day staying in the hotel and he _still_ hadn’t gone… but aside from that… _I wonder if we could go to the concert a little earlier and find something to do while we wait_.

 

Light was already naked so after the collar was off, he took L’s hand and led him under the already-warm spray. Like their previous room, this luxury shower had dual showerheads so they didn’t have to fight for the streams. “So Ryuk was game, he’s off on his errand after a few bribes and promises.” He turned his face into the stream, sighing as the residual tension in his muscles faded in the heated water. Starting to soap himself, “I got us some extra clothes too, hopefully he’ll be able to fit everything in that backpack but knowing him, he’ll make it work if there are apples on the line.”

 

L let Light pull him into the shower, letting the steamy water soak into him and wash away some of the tension from his muscles. Pressing his hands against the tile, he let his head drop forward, _especially_ enjoying the warmth on his neck. It didn’t matter how magic Light’s hands had felt last weekend, after almost another full _week_ of constant slouching, his shoulders and neck were sore again. Though, thankfully, not even _close_ to as bad as they had _been_. “Oh, I have every faith he’ll make it work,” L said with a laugh, looking over at Light with a smile. 

 

Light smiled back, getting his hands sudsy and rubbing it over his chest as he noticed how tense L’s back muscles looked. “Here, turn around and I’ll rub your shoulders like I did last weekend.” L had seemed to really _like_ that and turning the man into a relaxed ball of putty might have fun consequences. 

 

L’s hair was drenched completely and hanging in his face when he turned to face Light, reaching out for him only to be stopped. L blinked and couldn’t help but laugh again as he turned around, letting the water sluice the soap off his chest. “Okay, seriously, sometimes I think you’re reading my mind.” _Probably just my body language._

 

Light smiled, shaking his head as he gently turned L away from him so he could get at his back. “I wonder what I’d find in there if I _could_ read your mind.” He started at L’s lower back, gently pressing his thumbs on either side of his spine and working them into the muscles in slow circles. “Top of the list--- where is something delicious to eat, preferably sweet. Primary importance and all good things flow from this.” His hands gradually massaged up L’s back, his movements becoming firmer as the muscles relaxed against his touch. “Number two, a recent addition--- getting dicked down. Or, alternatively, going down on dick.” Light chuckled softly as he alternated between stroking L’s sides and massaging deeper into several knots under the man’s shoulder blades. Pretending to scoff, “Probably the whole middle of the list has something vaguely to do with work. I won’t bore you with those.”

 

L couldn’t help but laugh at Light’s assessment of his mental state, even though he was more focused on how _amazing_ Light’s hands felt. The massage _alone_ was making up for the headache he was likely to have later from trying to wrangle multiple reservations, and the bed replacement… and he had to suck in an aroused breath when Light made the sex comment. _Getting ‘dicked down’, I like it - it DOES sound like something I would say, too._ “Do you _really_ think that all I think about is sex and sw….” His breath caught, and he grinned widely before quickly switching what he was going to say. “Sex and _candy_ is all I think about, hmm?” _You aren’t wrong, honestly._

 

Light’s hands slid up L’s arms and rubbed his biceps up to his shoulders, kneading his whole hand into the very tense muscles there. _Probably from all that bad posture and slouching, bending over computers._ He spent a little extra time there given the abundance of knots, zeroing in on one at a time patiently. “Down at the verrrry bottom, so small you can’t see it, are all the regular things like sleep and exercise and exposure to sunlight that keep us all alive. Trivial things, really. Hardly worth mentioning.” He leaned forward to giggle against L’s shoulder, placing a kiss there as his thumbs stroked up and down the muscles of L’s neck. “How’d I do? Am I clairvoyant or not?”

 

A tiny little groan left L as Light kneaded at the muscles under his shoulder blades, rolling his neck back and flexing his shoulders to try and get a little tension out before Light got there, but even still… the release of tension once Light worked the knots out was a near sexual release, and he couldn’t help but moan. “Oh Jesus, Light, your hands are _truly_ magic.” L was feeling so languid from Light’s ministrations that it took a moment for him to realize what Light had actually just _said_ , and he glared over his shoulder with a laughing, “ _Hey!_ ” Light’s giggles were adorable. The kiss on his shoulder pulled a soft smile from him, and he grumbled, “You’re lucky I love you, or you might’ve got swatted for that. Plus, you missed number three… music keeps me somewhat sane.” _Singing in particular, but playing and just listening to it as well._ “And while you are... _embarrassingly_... correct, that’s still a pretty shallow reading.”

 

Light wrapped his arms around L’s waist, laughing at L’s retorts to his psychic reading. He found it especially funny that L only had a single addition to the ‘list’ and couldn’t argue with any of the other items. “Shallow, huh? If that were the case you wouldn’t be getting so huffy. I think I hit pretty close to the mark.” He tried to stop giggling long enough to kiss L on the cheek but just ended up sputtering against it instead. “But don’t feel bad, we’re all pretty shallow when distilled to our base desires. I _know_ there’s a lot more to you, I was just being silly.” He rubbed L’s shoulders a little longer to smooth over his prickles, trying _very_ hard not to hum Marcy’s Playground and ask if that was the kind of music he’d made the gross error of omitting. _Better not, he’s already one step from swatting me._

 

Letting out a sighing chuckle, L snuggled back into Light’s arms, murmuring, “I wasn’t actually _mad_ , anyway.” He was pretty sure Light _knew_ that, but it still didn’t hurt to say so. 

 

“Well, why don’t you return the favor and tell me...what’s going on in Light Yagami’s head?” Light’s hands slid around to L’s chest, drawing him a little closer. “I always say that turnabout’s fair play, and I won’t even complain if it's shallow.’” His hand moved lower down L’s stomach but only teased at his hips, waiting to hear what L’s assessment would be.

 

“Hmm. What goes on in Light Yagami’s head.” L considered what to say, and smiled. “I won’t be using a list, at least not a numbered one. On any given day, I imagine one could find the following, in no particular order… sex, boredom, ‘people are so stupid’ and ‘always project your perfect self to the world’. More important, upholding your responsibility to your loved ones.” Glancing up at Light, his expression became a little more neutral, knowing he was getting into serious territory, but unable to just leave it _out_. “And most importantly… death note. The plans you’ve made. Wanting to see the guilty pay for their crimes. And not wanting to die.” He wanted to add something playful about his mouth being one of the most important things, but he had just said a number of somewhat heavy things. Saying something silly and self-important seemed in poor taste.

 

Light hummed as L settled back against him, enjoying the way the man’s wet flesh slid against him. He smiled through the first few observations L made, but it flickered and faded as L went on. Light had just been trying to be silly and have a little fun, but these things L were saying felt like voodoo pins in a doll. ‘ _People are stupid.’ ‘Always project your perfect self to the world.’ ‘Uphold responsibility to loved ones.’ ‘Not wanting to die’?_ He tensed at L’s back, not sure what was happening as suddenly he felt very vulnerable and reminded of all the things that made him afraid. He sighed slowly, feeling deflated, “Stop..this isn’t fair.” _I was having so much fun with you._ It made him wonder if he actually had pissed L off in some way despite his statement to the contrary; Light had held up a funhouse mirror and L had shown him a real one and he hadn’t been prepared for that. Many of those things were enough to send him into a spiral of internal anxiety, and now he had the deception of his parents, the very real likelihood of Kira’s painful death at the hands of men or inevitably by Ryuk, the hate he felt for his fake plastic persona, his inability to be seen...all lined up like like soldiers with rifles raised in the forefront of his mind. Could L really not understand what living with such secrets had done to him, even if much of it was his choice, that tossing off his fears so casually wouldn’t shake and confuse him?

 

“That’s all perfectly understandable, though,” L said in a soft voice, smiling up at him again before leaning up to kiss him gently. “And I would say that’s a pretty shallow reading, as well, if kind of… heavy.” _I hope I didn’t kill the mood._ “And that’s not even including the things that _seem_ small, like just wanting to be adored and cherished, and _seen._ I love your mind, Light.”

 

“I…” Light didn’t react when L turned to kiss him, not really knowing what to do with all these conflicting emotions blindsiding him. Softly, “...wasn’t really ready for that.” His hands gradually slid away from L’s body and he backed up, everything felt too close and too much. Swallowing hard, he turned back to cleaning himself up and tried to wash these thoughts away too. “Spot on as usual, though, so kudos.”

 

It didn’t register for L that what he’d said would be too much until Light tensed behind him, and his heart clenched. _I shouldn’t have said ANY of that_ , he thought, swallowing hard as Light turned away from him, and it was a crushing reminder that sometimes he just _didn’t_ know how to interact with people. And he’d been doing so well up to this point… hadn’t he?

 

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, reaching out to touch Light’s shoulders before letting his hand fall. “I didn’t think… I didn’t realize how that sounded. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything.” Hesitating, L stepped up behind him and wrapped his arms loosely around Light’s waist, giving him the option of pulling away if he wanted, and said quietly, “I guess… I wanted you to know that I see, and that I’m here. That it won’t make me run away. That I understand. And… that I want to help… lessen your burden, I suppose. If I can.” _Please don’t be upset with me for long,_ he thought, resting his forehead on Light’s shoulder and trying to breathe shallowly to disguise his own panic. _Why do I always say the wrong thing? I don’t care about being right if I’m hurting you._ “I’m sorry I killed the mood. I’m… I’ll go clean up, if you want me to leave you alone.”

 

Light stopped washing his face when he felt L’s arms around him, hanging his head slightly and watching water dribble from his bangs to the shower floor. “No, don’t apologize.” His hands went to cover L’s, feeling a little more grounded as the complex emotions started to sort. Quietly, “It would be nice to pretend like there’s things that don’t scare me, or that the things I’ve had to do and have to keep doing don’t...affect me.” _Gods don’t fear, don’t doubt._

 

“Sometimes I feel like…” He smiled faintly, leaning back into L and resting his head backwards on his shoulder. _How do I explain this?_ “...like when I was a kid, I believed that the only reason birds weren’t afraid to fly so high was that no one had told them what gravity was. That they couldn’t understand it, didn’t know they were limited by it or should fear it, and if someone did tell them, they’d crash right back down to earth like the rest of us.” He laughed softly, at the mind of a child who had one foot in magic and the other in realism. _Am I so different now?_ “And that’s me. The bird who understands gravity but chooses to ignore it anyway so I can fly higher and higher. So when you said that...I guess it made me look down, so to speak.”

 

He turned around in L’s arms, just looking into his eyes for a long moment before kissing him softly. “I know you’re here, and that means everything to me. I don’t ever want you to leave me alone.”

 

The panic L had felt started to ebb when Light leaned into his touch, and he couldn’t help but let out a soft sigh of relief as he listened to Light speak. He didn’t feel _completely_ better, because he had still unintentionally brought the mood down (and really, what had he been _expecting_ would happen?), but… Staring up at Light in slight surprise, L offered him a tiny, tremulous smile. The soft kiss told him in no uncertain terms that Light wasn’t upset with him, if nothing else had, and he tightened his arms around the teen and kissed him back before swallowing hard.

 

“Then... I won’t.” L reached up to cup Light’s cheek and smiled again, a little warmer, chest feeling a little less tight. “But... I’d rather not be the gravity that brings you down. I would much rather be the thermal that lifts you to greater heights.” _The wind beneath your wings,_ he almost said, but he wasn’t sure if… oh hell, why not, maybe it would make Light smile. His gaze slid to the side for a moment before he looked at Light again and added with a tiny, sheepish grin, “Or the wind beneath your wings, if you prefer. And… I really like the bird analogy. It fits well.”

 

Light stared at L a moment before breaking into laughter at the cheesy line, shaking his head. “I swear I never know what’s going to come out of your mouth. It’s one of the things I love about you though.” He saw that L was trying to cheer him up and appreciated it, giving him a genuine smile and pushing the wet hair from L’s face. “I’m under no delusions as to what danger I’m in, I’m just not always prepared to deal with it. You should have seen my face during Lind L. Tailor, I was going nuts for a moment there. Being off my guard was a big part of it.” He smiled because that memory had been recolored now by his real understanding of what had been happening, but at the time he’d felt terror and surprise. “I guess we all like predictable situations, feeling in control, and I’m worse than most about it.” 

 

Giggling, L just shrugged, happy that he’d gotten a laugh from Light. _I hope you still feel that way as we move forward_ , he thought, smiling as Light turned away, taking the soap and making sure he was squeaky clean. “I suppose that’s somewhat comparable to my reaction when I found out you were one of the people I had pegged as a likely Kira suspect. The realization that I had just lived out one of my fantasies without actually knowing for sure was…” Laughing sheepishly, L pushed his hair out of his face and looked over at Light. “I was probably more obvious in front of the task force than I meant to be. I was definitely _not_ in control, so I understand.”

 

Light gave L one last embrace before releasing him and rinsing away the last of the suds. “Anyway, you’re not the thermal or the wind. You’re the one other bird who could fly without that shit too, and we managed to find each other in the flock of birds who couldn’t.” Laughing to himself, “If anyone’s wind, it’s Ryuk. At least he’s windy.”

 

  _I’m another bird? I’ll take it._ “So we’re breaking away and creating our own flock? I like that better than what I said.”

 

Light gave L a peck on the cheek as he stepped out of the shower, grabbing a towel and drying off as he wandered back to the bedroom. Ryuk wasn’t back quite yet so he had nothing to wear, meaning there was nothing to do but wait. He called into the bathroom, “Guess I can finally finish my breakfast.” He picked up his tray and took it into the breakfast counter, climbing up on the chair to finish off his french toast and orange juice.

 

L hurriedly rinsed off when Light stepped out of the shower, and followed him out, trailing water as he went to brush his teeth. “That’s true! By the way, I’m going to put all the toys back in my bag,” L called out loudly, giggling at that comment. _Oops_. At least they both were actually _able_ to finish their breakfast today. They hadn’t had the best track record with finishing desserts or meals when they were together. _Apparently we get distracted easily._ “That way no-one accidentally stumbles on them.” He rinsed out his mouth and grabbed a towel, drying off quickly and wandering back into the bedroom. The robe went back on before he started gathering everything up. “Hey, is Ryuk back yet?”

 

Light had just finished his now cold but no less tasty breakfast when he heard a flap of wings behind him. He turned around on the chair, grinning as he saw Ryuk collapse in a heap of rumpled feathers, holding the stuffed backpack up like a trophy above his head. Calling to L, “Yup, he just came back!” He hopped down from the chair, walking over to Ryuk and taking the heavy backpack. “Whoa...did you get everything?”

 

Ryuk turned face-first onto the floor, panting with the effort it had taken to zoom all across Tokyo so quickly. “Heh..heh..heh...think so....heh...this human settlement is bigger than it looks.”

 

“It’s called a _city._ ” Light chuckled as he sat at the piano bench and rummaged in the bag, checking for everything on the list. “Nice job, you didn’t forget anything.” He held up the shoes that L had asked for, turning them in his hand appreciatively. _Damn, this nearly looks like fetish wear. Seeing L in these...hell yes._ He heard Ryuk whine plaintively for his promised reward and nodded without looking, “All yours, soda’s in the fridge.” Imbued with a sudden burst of energy, Ryuk zoomed to the fridge to claim his apples and soda.

 

Light walked into the bedroom with the backpack, taking out the items and placing them in the dresser drawers neatly so they wouldn’t get wrinkled any worse than Ryuk’s mad stuffing had already inflicted. His box of makeup he put on top of the dresser by the mirror, and briefly looked through it to make sure nothing was smashed. “Guess we got lucky, or I bribed him well enough.” He picked up the hotel phone and walked over to L, handing it to him. “Let’s get the bed situation sorted so it’s done by the time we get back from wandering around. Oh! That reminds me…” He took his cell phone from the dresser and pulled up a picture of a very sturdy but beautiful iron canopy bed, and showed it to L. “What do you think of this as a replacement? Furniture store across the street sells them so shouldn’t be a chore to get it here.”

  
L smiled, shoving his backpack into the back of the bedroom closet where any hotel workers wouldn’t find it ( _unless they’re looking, which..._ ), shedding his robe again and tossing it into the hamper in the bathroom as Light brought everything else into the bedroom. “Well, I am _definitely_ glad that everything arrived in one piece.” He came over to stand beside Light, taking the phone as he pulled his laptop and hard drive out of the bag as well, setting them up on the dresser and dialing the number for the front desk. He held the phone to his ear, and a quick glance at the picture on Light’s phone brought a delighted grin to his face. “Ooh! That is NICE. Very good support for if we-”

  
  
_Shit_. Shooting Light an apologetic look, he snatched the cell to study the picture closely as he said, “Hello, yes, this is Ryuzaki Ishida from suite- yes, that’s right.” He pecked a kiss to Light’s cheek as he listened, and then said, “I have a two-fold request, actually. If it’s possible to _extend_ my stay in this suite until further notice, that would be much appreciated...” Trailing off, L rolled his eyes, and finally chuckled. “Excellent, thank you. That brings me to the _second_ half of my request - the bed frame broke this morning. I would like to get it replaced with a model of my choosing... no, _not_ the standard one. An iron canopy model would be highly pref-” L broke off, and let out a somewhat annoyed huff, rolling his eyes in annoyance as he paced around the room, letting out soft ‘ _mhmm_ ’s into the phone. “Of _course_ I will pay for the extra cost. If it could be installed this afternoon- yes. Thank you. We will of course vacate the premises until I get the call. Thank you.” Hanging up, L just rubbed at the bridge of his nose and sighed.

  
  
Light got dressed and tidied up the suite while L spoke to the hotel, needing to keep busy and organize his thoughts along with the room. He was thrilled they were going to be staying here, but that meant he needed a secure place to keep the death note here. Right now it was stashed in his backpack in the closet but he didn’t trust that or the hotel safe. _I need a safe of my own, something impenetrable that only L and I can open._ He couldn’t always walk around with it jammed down his pants.

 

He gathered up all their dishes and put the room service cart into the hall, then sat on the couch to do something he was dreading. _Misa control._ His parents were already aware of what was going on, but he’d been avoiding talking to her. That wasn’t wise if he intended to keep her happy and get her to give up her death note sometime soon. He deleted her multitudes of texts en masse and typed out, **“The test went well but I was exhausted! Taking a few days to recuperate, but I’d like to see you soon.”**

 

 **“LIGHT!! I’ve been a wreck wondering how you were babykins!!** **😭** **Where are you? When can I see you? I knew my sexy genius would blow the test away** **😍💕😘❤️”**

 

Light rolled his eyes, frowning at the phone. **“No can do today, going to see MWAM with Shinji later. And guess what? I have a new after school gig...to help with a certain case. I’ll have to tell you about it later.”** That should get the message across to Misa not to pry too much more, and probably get her off his back about what he was doing in his spare time when not with her. Before he’d met L, Light had mentioned to her a couple of times that getting invited to the case would be a boon but he hadn’t seen a way to do it. His father hadn’t approached him for help as he’d done in the past. 

 

 **_“_ ** **WHAAAAA?! Omgggggg Light that’s so amazing woweeee! 😎 When do I get to hear about it? You owe me a BIG KISS for putting me off all week** **👅”**

 

Light shuddered at that thought. The idea of kissing Misa had never appealed but he’d forced himself to do it to keep her strung along in the past. _“_ **We’ll see. I’ll contact you soon when we can meet. Gtg now sweetie.** _”_ He exited the text app, tossing the phone beside him and letting out a heavy sigh. To himself, “Not sure how long I can keep this up.” But he’d have to until they had some actionable plan on what to do. 

 

Tossing the hotel phone on the bed, L pulled his clean outfit out of the dresser and started to dress. He tugged his phone out of the pocket of his jeans before picking up their discarded clothes from the previous night and tossing them into the hamper,  settling into one of the chairs in the living room to send off a quick text to Watari. _He’s probably awake by now_. The return text confirmed it, and he hummed to himself, smiling. _This makes things easy._

 

**“I meant to ask yesterday, but I was distracted. If you could set up a round the clock tail on Misa Amane, that would be fantastic. Make sure anyone on the team knows to keep their eyes obscure at all times, and as a further precaution, to try and use disguises wherever possible. And I would like to receive the updates on my phone as well. Thank you.”**

 

**“It will be set up within the hour. Be careful.”**

 

The response was quick, thank goodness, and L glanced up at Light with a smile. “Looks like we’ll have our Misa spotting guide in an hour.”

 

He sent off another quick text and sighed with relief that _that_ was done. _“_ **We will. Thank you, Watari.”**

 

Before he could put his phone away, L frowned down at the message screen in confusion. _Why did that message send twice? That’s happened a few other times now in the last week, what is going on?_ Distractedly, he said, “We don’t have to leave right away. I wanted to take another crack at the piano, I haven’t actually played properly in years.” 

 

When L told him that Watari had set the tail on Misa, Light smiled and held out a hand for him to join on the couch. “That’s a relief. I just checked in with her to get her off my back this weekend. She knows I’m joining the Kira case so hopefully she won’t be too nosy or demanding about my time, thinking I’m doing something _important_ .” He couldn’t help but giggle at that, looping an arm around L’s waist to draw him closer. “And I am, just not what _she_ thinks.” The mention of the piano made him smile, “Sure, I’d love to hear you play some more...but um, could you bring your laptop in here? There’s a certain incriminating video I need to transfer from my phone.” He gave L a meaningful look, wondering if this would probably lead to them just watching it.

 

Joining Light on the couch, L sighed a little. He didn’t particularly _care_ for the idea of Light keeping Misa strung along, even if he understood the necessity of it. A little thrill went through him when Light tugged him closer, and he giggled, wrapping his arms around Light’s neck and pressing a small kiss to his lips. “You’re doing some _thing_ important? Hmm.” Nuzzling his nose into Light’s neck, he murmured, “I’m not sure if I should be insulted by that, but I’m going to go with nah.” 

 

Light giggled at L’s teasing, “Nothing to be offended about. It happens to be my favorite _thing_ , and I plan to do it as often as I can.”

 

With another giggle, L extricated himself gently from Light’s grip and pushed himself off the couch. “Let me go get my stuff, then.” _And why didn’t I just bring it in here in the first place? Guess I was too distracted by other things._ He was in and out of the bedroom in less than a minute, plugging the laptop in and climbing back onto the couch to sit cross-legged, opening it on his lap and booting it up. “Good thing I use a Mac, your phone is already compatible,” L said with a smirk, amused by that. “Where’s your USB cable?” He quickly typed in his password, and plugged in the hard drive as soon as he was in. “Are you moving just the video over, or the photos as well?”

 

Light scrolled through his phone and placed all the pictures and the video from yesterday in a folder while L got his computer. “Oh those pictures are going onto the drive too. As much as I’d love having them handy, I doubt I should keep them.” _Maybe I can keep just one._ Light’s phone charger was plugged in in the bedroom and he went to retrieve it, handing it and his phone to L. “It’s already unlocked, I put everything in a folder for you. The video is probably taking up half the phone memory, and I want to make sure there’s space for more videos if needed.” He laughed, scooting closer to L and very curious to finally see how everything turned out. The temptation to look at them would be pretty strong, especially since L didn’t get _his_ perspective when they were actually in the moment. “So, are you going to just transfer everything or do you want to take a look?”

 

L just gave Light an amused look as he plugged the phone into his laptop. “I’m going to _look_ , of course. Why do you think I wanted you to take pictures?” Not that he’d phrased it that way at the time, but once Light had said he was going to take them, he’d been pretty elated. “I want to see what got you so hot and bothered yesterday.” But first, he needed to actually transfer everything over. 

 

Light chuckled, thinking _of course he was going to look now._ “I’m not arguing with you, I’m dying to see them as well. I haven’t had a chance to go through them yet, what with the real thing being so enticingly in front of me.” 

 

L dragged the folder onto his desktop and nudged Light playfully as the transfer started. “Have you looked through the pictures at all yet? And were you planning on taking videos at the concert tonight?”

 

 _That_ reminded him, actually, something he’d been thinking of on and off since last night. “Oh, uh. Were you... thinking of doing any makeup for _me_? For tonight, I mean.” Light had only mentioned doing his own, but now he was a little curious.

 

Light shifted to sit behind L on the couch, peeking over his shoulder as the upload started. He pressed a light kiss to L’s neck, smiling at the question about the makeup. “I’d _love_ to do your makeup, if you’d let me.” He took a moment to think about what looks might suit L, with his pale skin and large eyes. “I’m thinking….like a Cleopatra eye and maybe some red lips. I’d have to use some kind of lipstick with staying power, else all your nibbling will smudge it.” Already some _other_ things were coming to mind that might smudge it, but he had a clear lacquer that could go over any lipstick and keep it set for hours. Light’s hands wrapped around L’s waist and drew him against his chest, “Would you like that? It would be fun to make you up like my slutty doll.” 

 

L’s breath caught a bit at that light kiss to his neck, and he tilted his head slightly to the side just in case Light wanted to do it again. Having Light sitting behind him, so close and handsy, was _already_ doing a number on his libido again, not even taking into account what Light was _saying_ . Swallowing, L settled back against Light’s chest and murmured, “So I’ll be your slutty goth Cleopatra?” He closed his eyes for a moment, picturing it, and a grin split his face. “That’s certainly… it certainly _sounds_ like a striking look. I _like_ that.” _I’m sure that my nibbling isn’t the only thing that would smudge lipstick if I wore any._ And eating wouldn’t be one of them. 

 

L tilting his head like that was an invitation to Light, and he wasn’t going to turn down the opportunity to give it a few nibbling bites. He murmured, “Didn’t Ryuk tell you that she was a death note user too?” Light pushed his hands under L’s shirt, stroking his chest. “Supposedly she got the thing from Alexander the Great who had died long before her reign. Ryuk says he was worshipped as a god in Egypt, the son of Amun-Ra, and was buried with his death note. She ended up finding it when his tomb was raided, and used it to kill her husband right off the bat so she could rule.” That pulled a dark laugh from him, but according to Ryuk the man she’d been forced to marry had not only been a relative but an enormous imbecile. “She tried to use it to stave off the complete takeover of Egypt by the Romans and managed to delay it quite a while. Back then there were no photographic pictures of course, so you were limited to who you could see. But she had the eyes, and she wore makeup in the style of the eye of Horus after she made the deal.” It was quite a fascinating story really, and maybe Ryuk would tell L the whole version one day if he asked. “Anyway, I don’t want _you_ to ever have the eyes but still we can pay homage to her, can’t we?”

 

“I always _did_ wonder what inspired her makeup,” L whispered, even that small taste of the actual history sending a thrill through him, along with the feeling of Light’s hands against his skin. There were quite a few historical figures he had been interested in when he was younger, and Cleopatra had always been one of the most intriguing to him, along with a small handful of others. “I’m going to guess you didn’t _know_ that I had a bit of an obsession with Cleopatra when I was younger?” When Light mentioned not wanting him to take the eye deal, L couldn’t help but laugh. Unless Ryuk took ownership of whatever notebook he started using, he wouldn’t have anyone to make the eye deal _with_ , he was assuming, so it was a moot point to him. “And I am not interested in taking the eye deal anyway, but I would _love_ to pay some tribute to one of the former death note users.”

 

“Good. She’ll be grinning down from Mu in approval.” Light trailed a hand over L’s stomach, “You’re going to look so hot in that crop-top, I can’t wait to see you in it.”

 

“You really think so? I’ve never worn anything so revealing. The most revealing thing I ever wear is a tank top, and that is only ever when it’s too hot for my normal shirts.” Taking a deep breath, L forced himself to focus and clicked open the folder on his desktop to see what, if anything, had finished transferring while they talked. It looked like the only thing they were waiting on was the video, which made sense. _39% transferred? How long is this video??_ “So... I’m not sure if we’re going to be able to watch this video before we get kicked out of the suite, heh.” The pictures they could look at, though, and he clicked on the first one in the folder, mouth going dry immediately. “Oh. Um. _Wow._ That’s….”

 

Light smiled as L opened up the first picture he’d taken last night, showing L blindfolded and tied on his knees. The dark grey ropes popped on L’s pale skin even in the dim lighting, and L’s fingers were splayed out behind him as if he were testing the bindings. “ _Fuck…”_ Seeing it again immediately sent blood rushing south, and he shifted slightly against L’s back. “Well... _now_ do you understand what got me so excited?” His gaze flicked to the video’s download progress and he frowned. “Damn, that’s going to take a while. But maybe something to watch when we get home from the concert?” _Might have time for something quick now though, if the pictures get him going._ “Let’s see a few more of those pictures…”

 

L shifted slightly, pressing back against Light as he exhaled loudly, laughing a little. “That is…” he whispered, shuddering as he inspected the picture a little more closely. A chuckle escaped him, and he breathed, “ _So_ hot. You take pretty decent pictures, too.” 

 

Light’s fingers toyed with the waistband of L’s jeans as he clicked through the pictures, feeling himself getting harder against L’s back as he remembered tying those knots himself, of pressing L to his knees. “I think I could do better with a decent camera, not a phone camera.” He traced up and down the small trail of hair leading from L’s lower stomach. “Might as well invest in something, seeing as how I plan to take a _lot_ of pictures and videos of you.” He had quite a few more rope configurations he wanted to try out too, to say nothing of the various furniture in this suite he could tie L to, or onto. “We could even make it auto-update to your secure drive, perpetually delete. Safer than my phone.” He had a feeling that after L watched the first video he took he’d be intrigued enough to get a real video camera, especially since his phone was unlikely to have done the whole scene justice. _Better than nothing._

 

“Are you planning on turning me into your slutty photographic model?” L asked in a soft voice that started out teasing, only to end up sounding more intrigued than anything else. “Your muse? I mean… you’re right, it would be safer than your phone, and it’s not like I can’t afford it, but it almost seems like a waste if we’re the only ones who are ever going to see the pictures.” _Or videos_ , he thought. _And I don’t think I want to share these with anyone else in the first place, unless any distinguishing characteristics are cropped out of the picture._  

 

“Would you mind so very much if I did want to make you my slutty muse? You seem to like the idea of me dressing you up, putting makeup on you, posing you…” _Collaring you_. Light’s hand moved up L’s shirt to hook at his shoulder as he relaxed back on the couch. He scoffed softly at the notion that a better camera would be wasted on just themselves. “Oh, I’m not worth it but the randoms of the world would be? L, you wound me.” He was joking but didn’t quite understand the logic, as if anything could be wasted on making things more fun between them. “Is that new bed a waste if we’re the only ones watching each other in it? Maybe this whole suite’s a waste and we should invite the entirely of the task force to partake.” Light laughed quietly at L’s hypocrisy, it was rather adorable. _Just buy me what I want so I can really film us._

 

L’s breath caught at Light’s words, at his laughter over L’s commentary, ill-explained as it was, and a soft whine left him as he was tugged back against the teen on the couch. “No, I wouldn’t mind at all being your muse, Light,” he breathed, closing his eyes and leaning his head back against Light’s shoulder, nuzzling into his neck. Exhaling hard, he added laughingly, “It’s actually, ah... the idea of it is a huge turn on. But I didn’t mean to say you’re not worth it. I want to see what you can do with a better camera, I only said that… because most people these days want to get better equipment to share the results with other people. I guess I mistakenly thought you were planning on doing that, too. If you want a good camera, you’ll get it.” A snort left him and he smiled up at Light. “And... there were a few things in your kinbaku book that I had my eye on that we might be able to try with the new bed, when we get adventurous enough. So that’s definitely not a waste.” _I wonder if it would even be possible for you to fuck me if I’m suspended like that._

 

Light loved the idea of L being his artistic muse, and in other ways it was already true. Even before they were allies, it was L’s brilliance and ingenuity that constantly challenged him, and wasn’t that the same thing as inspiration? Now that they were working to build something _together_ , L had become a source of encouragement, emotional support and physical comfort. L’s perspectives and ideas complemented his own dreams. _We can inspire and save each other._ It would fun to translate that admiration he felt into photography, to play together as perhaps neither of them had even had the opportunity to do in their strict and lonely lives. He gave L a brilliant smile when he said he could have a better camera, turning to an expression of lust at the mention of the kinbaku book and L’s curiosity to try more things. 

 

L clicked over to the next picture, which seemed to have been taken from the front, because his head was bowed so most of what could be seen was his hair, sticking up even more from the knot on the blindfold. It still made a very sexy image, with his spread legs, and the ropes pulling his shoulders back straight, taut against his skin. There were a few _gorgeous_ close up shots of the rope work, and then... the next one made him laugh. L looked back at Light with a smirk. “Really? You were supposed to take pictures of the rope work, and you take a close up picture of my _dick. Why?_ ” His finger hovered teasingly over the trackpad for a moment, the smirk on his face practically _screaming_ that this was a threat to delete the picture.

 

Light giggled against L’s shoulder when he was called out about the close-up of L’s erection, just giving a little shrug. “You didn’t specify that I _couldn’t_ take pictures of your hard-on, and it was something I definitely wanted to see later, so...why not? Does it bother you?” L better not delete it from the drive, but if he did, it was still on Light’s phone.

 

The way Light was giggling against his shoulder over his little explanation made him roll his eyes and snort, and finally L just murmured, “It doesn’t bother me that much, I suppose. Though it’s not like you can see much anyway, since my _jeans_ are in the way.”

 

Light laughed harder when L said that Light’s non-explicit dick pic didn’t bother him _that much_ . “You’re really baffling me right now. Are you saying _that_ picture bothers you but a _real_ picture of your dick wouldn’t?” He grinned, turning L’s head to the side so he could kiss him briefly. _You confusing man._ “Let me tell you a little something. There’s two components to pleasure, did you know that? There’s _wanting_ and then there’s _liking_ , and these are two separate things, controlled by two different parts of the brain. You might say that physical sexual pleasure is the liking part--- actually fucking, getting off. But that’s just sensation, isn’t it? It’s over and done with in a matter of minutes. The complicated part, the part that can turn an encounter from rutting to magic, to a dream or a fulfilled fantasy, is the _wanting._ And so while I’ll never turn down a _real_ dick pic, when I took that picture, what I was enjoying then was the wanting, and that’s always the part that intrigues me the most. It’s the part where imagination comes out to play.” A darker detail was that these were the same components to addiction, and while many could suppress the liking, it was the wanting that compelled relapse and was much harder to kill.

 

The retort L had been about to make died in his throat as Light kissed him, and he fell silent, listening to what Light was saying and taking it all in. It wasn’t like he hadn’t _known_ these details already, but in truth, he had never really _thought_ about them in the way Light was describing, and it made him wonder for a moment which aspect of it he liked better. After all, Light’s hands were on him, stroking his neck, his hot breath in L’s ear, and it felt _incredible_ , but all he could think about was that they shouldn’t be doing this, regardless of how it felt, because of the probability of getting interrupted. And how much time did they _really_ have? Had he chosen now to open up the pictures because he liked to torture himself with things he couldn’t have right away, or did he like the thrill of potentially getting caught as much as Light did? 

 

L left the picture in question, shrugging as he clicked through the remaining pictures. There was one in particular he really liked, lingering on it as he stared, trying to figure out what it was that intrigued him so much. It was a side shot, showing his profile, the long line of his torso, and the way the ropes pulled his arms back, a relatively simple shot. Maybe it was the expression on his face in the image that caught his attention - his head was tilted upwards, lips parted, and there was something about the expression that said the subject knew they were being photographed and was trying to be sultry for the camera… and it actually kind of _worked_. “This… almost doesn’t look like me. I mean, I know it’s me, but the person in this picture looks far too comfortable and confident to be me.” _Almost… beautiful? Is this what he sees all the time when he looks at me?_ L glanced back at Light, breath coming fast, trying to gauge his reaction.

 

“That picture you like is very nice, you look stunning. But I’ll show you what I was looking for.” _Not posed._ He pulled his hand from L’s pants, clicking through the pictures until he found the one he wanted. “This one.” Light stared at it hard, mouthing against L’s jaw as he turned L’s face towards the screen. “See here...you were not relaxed or confident or posed, you were on edge, raw, your head was following my movements. Your fists were balled up tight, tense, and you were so hard I could see the precum leaking through your pants. You were _wanting_ me, and it was written all over your body.” 

 

Light’s hand edged higher up through L’s shirt to stroke the soft skin his neck, noticing now that the bruises had nearly faded away. Softer, he whispered in L’s ear, massaging his neck, “Like the moment...right before I slide into you. The way you look at me after I put that collar on you. This moment, where we’re thinking about all the things we can’t do because some fuck is going to interrupt us if we do. The anticipation of watching that movie later, or how I’m going to fuck you at the concert and the music will drown out how loud I’ll make you moan.” He gripped L’s neck and tilted his head back against his shoulder, Light’s other hand popping the button L’s jeans. “Like you, right now, wondering if I’m going to get you off like you wanted me to do in the shower.” Light’s fingers clenched briefly, cutting off L’s breath for a few seconds before releasing again. 

 

A low moan left him when Light slid his hand into L’s jeans, and his eyes fell shut when the teen squeezed teasingly at his throat, heart racing and throbbing in Light’s hand. “ _Jesus_ , Light,” he whispered, breathing harshly at all the stimulation, but Light wasn’t _done_. The picture he showed him took L’s breath away, and he _got it_. He remembered that moment _very_ well, remembered the intensity of the desire he had been feeling, remembered being unable to do anything but follow the sounds of Light’s movement, his _voice_ , like a homing beacon, desperate to be touched, desperate for some _relief_.

 

Light was breathing harder the more he stared at that picture, and he pressed himself against L’s back, hissing with the small stolen pleasure. “The hotel people will be here soon.” His hand went back to L’s pants, pulling the zipper down. “How bad do you need to get off?”

 

“You’ve made your point,” L whispered, staring back up at Light now, eyes large and nearly liquid with arousal in the brightness of the room, squirming back against Light’s erection. “If I knew what was _good_ for me, I would show some self-restraint and say no, we can’t, we might get caught.” An agonized whine left him when Light pulled his zipper down, and L thought to himself, _But I don’t really do what’s good for me, do I?_  

 

L made clear he _did_ need to get off when he ground back so enticingly, making Light moan softly into his neck and forget about anything else. “Self-restraint is neither of our strong suits. I _like_ it that way.” 

 

Batting Light’s hands away, setting his laptop aside, L squirmed around to kiss Light fiercely, settling into his lap and snaking his arms around the teen’s neck, grinding himself down against him for a moment. He broke the kiss long enough to murmur breathlessly, “But you know what? _Fuck it,_ I want you bad enough to risk getting caught, if you’re offering. And if you’re not...” Letting out another snort, L shrugged and leaned in to kiss Light again, swiping his tongue against the teen’s lips eagerly.

 

Light immediately pulled L closer when he turned around, threading his fingers into still-damp hair and licking into his mouth hungrily. He laughed quietly, somewhat turned on by the prospect of getting caught but not _really_ wanting that to happen right now. “You know I’m always offering. I’m weak as hell when it comes to you.” _Especially when you get like this, wanting me so bad._

 

Light’s hands went to L’s hips, rocking him against his erection as he panted into their kiss. He turned his head, yelling a little breathlessly, “Ryuk! Bolt the door and put that ‘do not disturb sign’ on the outside knob!” There was only a 50-50 chance Ryuk would actually do it, but the shinigami was probably in a good mood with the prospect of going to the concert. 

 

Sure enough, Ryuk peeked down from the ceiling, rolling his eyes like _again??_ “Pfft. Fine. I’m taking an apple for that though.” He waited until Light quickly nodded before zooming to the door to comply with the request, snatching an apple on the way. “Did it, you hedonists. I’m outta here for a while. Snap if you want me.” He phased up through the roof without a backward glance.

 

Light giggled, too relieved that Ryuk had done it to care about the shinigami’s annoyance. He pulled his shirt off and tossed it to the chair, given these were the only clean normal clothes they had. “Better not ruin these as well.” He gazed up at L’s eager expression, not wanting to move a muscle to take his pants off and managing to slide them down a little without having to move L. Whispering, “I’m going to wait until tonight to fuck you, I know you still have to be sore.” He spit in his hand and reached into L’s pants to stroke him, leaning closer to lick at L’s slender neck. “How about I get you off like this...I kind of want to see you come all over my chest.” He laughed quietly, “So much for staying clean around you even for a moment.”

 

“I’m not sure how I’ll be able to keep my hands off you once we start actually _working_ together,” L murmured breathlessly, laughing a little at Ryuk’s annoyance and the ‘hedonists’ remark ( _accurate_ ), but otherwise too invested in what Light was doing to care, a low ‘ahh!’ leaving him when Light reached into his pants again. _Oh Light, I love that you think we’ll be able to stay clean around each other for very long. Neither of us have much self-restraint, remember?_ He panted for a moment, and then continued, voice low in Light’s ear as he rocked his hips into Light’s lap, “Having to hear all about the criminals we eliminate, remembering your body against mine as we write the names, and then having to sit with the others and pretend like we aren’t together, having to hide how much it turns me on to be so _close_ to you and not being allowed to _touch_ … it’s going to be pure _torture_ , isn’t it?” _Ugh, PLEASE make me come on your chest._

 

Light scooted down a little against the couch, wiggling his pants down to his knees when L sat up momentarily for him to push them down. His eyes went wide, lips parted as he listened to L’s prediction of what working together would be like. He panted and squeezed L’s cock in response, “Oh fuck….I’m going to be a ball of hormones all day long and rip you to shreds once I can finally touch you.” He slicked L with more spit and stroked a little faster, twisting up and down lightly then fisting down it tight. “I’m pretty good at fooling people but that’s going to be worse than pretending not to be Kira.” He grinned up at L, seeking out his lips again and enjoying what was in front of him _now_ that he’d have to pine for later. 

 

 _Oh god, having to hide everything from the team really DOES sound like the most delicious form of torture_ , L thought, moaning loudly as Light fisted his cock. Between that and the thought of Light absolutely _destroying_ him after being unable to touch for a day, he knew that this was likely to be one of the last times they were going to have to just _indulge._ He giggled again, pulling away enough to tug his own shirt off and discarding it on the floor as he went to kiss Light again, one hand gripping the teen’s jaw gently. “You know, I don’t care about still being sore, I honestly wouldn’t have said _no_ to you fucking me now, Light,” L whispered against his mouth, his breath stuttering at the way Light twisted his hand on him, and his hips stuttered up, pressing into Light’s grip even more. “But _fuck_ , this might just be enough right now.” He trailed his lips against Light’s jaw and then down his neck, not stopping until he had his lips pressed against Light’s collarbone, and then whispered, “Are you going to film us fucking at the concert tonight, then? I think I’d _really_ like that.”

 

Light bent his neck to expose more of it to L’s mouth, squirming under him at L’s question of _filming_ themselves. “Yes....oh _hell_ yes, let’s do that.” Surely they could manage it, even if it was just in some sleazy bathroom or behind the booze tent, Light knew for certain he wouldn’t miss the chance to record them in semi-public. He mumbled against L’s mouth, “Touch me,” and guided L’s hand to his own erection. He hadn’t been planning to get off again but he couldn’t help himself now, all that dirty mental imagery and the pictures and L in his lap destroyed his resolve. 

 

L let out another sharp moan, pressing his forehead to Light’s shoulder as he asked, chuckling, “Were you going to just fuck me and leave it at that? You didn’t want anything to remember the show, nothing sexy to watch back later?” It was clear from Light’s reaction that he _did_ like the idea, L was just surprised that he hadn’t been the one to bring it up. _And why am I suddenly wanting to get video of us having sex?_ Maybe it was hitting the same need he had when he watched back those videos of Light, maybe it was the fascination of actually _seeing_ himself as a sexual being rather than just an _idea_ that turned him on so much. Either way, this really wasn’t the time to be analyzing his reactions, because all it would do was take him out of the moment.

 

Besides, Light’s reaction was simultaneously bringing him that much closer to losing it, and making him want to stretch this out as long as possible. “Oh god, _Light,_ ” he moaned, closing his fingers around Light and stroking him, shuddering against him. _I thought for a second he was going to try not to come,_ L thought, giggling breathlessly.

 

Light’s head pressed back into the cushions as L stroked him too, unable to fuck up into his hand due to being straddled but trying anyway. “I’m...not going to last very long like this…” He grinned as he caught sight of the pictures still displayed on the laptop beside them, his hand fisting in L’s hair to turn his head and make him look at it. “Look how fucking hot you were…” There was something excitingly perverse about getting L off to pictures of himself, of what Light had done to him. “Just wait until you see yourself when you were blowing me...when I was fucking you.” Light moved his hand lower to grasp L’s neck, wondering if he wanted to be choked. His chest was heaving, but managed to whisper, “The bruises are gone. Shall I replace them?”

 

A whine left L when Light turned his face towards the screen again, and he had to admit that the pictures were turning him on like _crazy_. _That picture IS fucking hot. I can’t wait to watch that video._ “ _Shit_ ,” he whimpered, the combination of Light’s words, the physical sensations he was experiencing, and the idea of filming their future sex adventures were all _such_ a turn on that he nearly came right then. He managed to hold on to his own hormones long enough to gasp through a hitching breath, “Oh _fuck_ , _please_ do, please!” After a moment, he remembered himself, pumping his fist around Light and trying to bring him off quickly as well, now. _Fuck_ , this was _hot._

 

Light was staring at the picture too but his gaze snapped back to L’s wide eyes when he _begged_ for the bruises to be replaced. ‘Fuck yes I will.” He slid his hand so it covered both sides of L’s neck, avoiding the veins and arteries but positioned to constrict his breathing. Light’s eyes were lidded with arousal as he waited a beat before clenching tightly, eyes locked with L’s as the man gasped and his cheeks reddened from lack of air. Light didn’t stop stroking and twisting, thumbing under the head and over the slit to push him closer. He released his grip on L’s neck but had to support his weight as L pulled in a long shuddering breath, but that was all Light let him get before squeezing again. The second time, L’s grip on his own cock tightened so fiercely that he cried out in response, shooting all over his bare chest as he writhed in that iron grasp. 

 

The sensations rushing through L from the hand stroking him, and then the fingers clenching and unclenching around his neck were making his heart pound loudly in his head, and if he had had enough breath to do it, L might have been _crying_ from it. And though he couldn’t help but feel a slight moment of irritation that Light ended up coming before _he_ did, he couldn’t honestly be too mad, because it had still been his doing. 

 

Light’s fingers shakily released L’s neck to let him breathe, looking down at the mess he’d made all over his just-cleaned skin. That sight and the pleasant afterglow of orgasm made him grin, and he yanked L closer by the neck, squeezing one last time to get him off. “Come on, _your_ turn.” He released L’s cock just long enough to swipe his hand over his messy chest, bringing it back to wrap around slick and hot with his come. Their faces were barely apart as Light gripped his cock and fisted it tightly, and he gloried in all the little microexpressions flickering across L’s face in the moment just before he felt more sticky heat hit his chest to make him even _more_ filthy. 

 

 _Fuck, you are so hot, Light_ , L thought to himself dazedly, gasping when Light tugged him closer, and their faces were _so close_ together he might have been able to stick his tongue out and just barely graze Light’s lips. That last tight squeeze on his neck cut off his air again, and his eyes were probably wide and frantic as he stared, lips parted in ecstasy when he felt Light’s slick hand fist him once more and _oh Jesus fucking Christ,_ he thought he was seeing stars.

 

Light immediately released his grip on L’s neck and held him up by the shoulders, letting him pant and breathe freely now. Lights gaze was drawn to the reddening handprint ringing L’s white neck that would surely bruise within the hour, and he smiled up at L with a smug but happy expression. “Now _that’s_ better. I was starting to miss them.” He giggled and leaned up to kiss L softly, and just for a moment since L needed to catch his breath.

 

‘ _I was starting to miss them._ ’ L let out a soft, stuttering laugh at that, eyes flicking up to meet Light’s and catching that happy, smug expression as he tried to catch his breath, limbs pleasantly heavy from the afterglow of orgasm. “What do you mean.. _you_ were starting to miss them?” he asked in a soft voice, panting and snorting in amusement. He closed his eyes and tried to melt into Light’s lap, sighing against his shoulder and taking a deep breath, and then another, before feeling like he could speak reliably. “I _wanted_ to ask you to do that in the shower,” he murmured, fingers curling up into Light’s hair as he nuzzled his nose against his skin. “But then I opened my big, stupid mouth. Thank you.”

 

Light closed his eyes as L melted against him, sure he had a big stupid grin on his face. “Damn...if I had known how hot _that_ was going to be I would have set up my phone to record it. Ah, but guess I couldn’t have.” He giggled, eyeing the video progress which was still only half downloaded. He’d held his sticky hand out to the side but realized it was a lost cause at this point and just embraced L. Softly, “You do realize you just made us into a cum sandwich.” He giggled, wiggling around as he held L and just making it worse. Pretending annoyance, “I was _trying_ to keep at least one of us clean but you just go and lay right down in it. What am I supposed to do with you?” 

 

L looked up at him with a big grin and giggled madly at the description. “ _Cum sandwich_ , holy shit,” he wheezed, burying his face into Light’s shoulder as he continued to giggle. “How _dare_ you put that image into my head,” he said, once he finally got his giggles under control.

 

Light threaded his clean fingers through L’s hair, bending his neck to kiss it. “I know it’s awful of me, but I just liked the look of those bruises, knowing _I_ put them there and…” He exhaled a huff, “...that you liked when I did it.” Light felt a little sheepish because he didn’t _really_ want to injure L but damn if those marks didn’t get him going every time he saw them. “Were you really going to ask me for that in the shower?” That would have made Light wistful except he couldn’t regret how things had gone _now_ , what with the extra thrill of seeing the pictures and telling the hotel to fuck off a little longer. “I guess that means that you like the look of them too.” 

 

L sighed in contentment as he felt Light’s fingers and lips against his hair. Hearing Light start off with how ‘awful’ it was that he liked the bruises made him immediately tense up, but then the teen seemed to realize… well. Still, he couldn’t help but say softly, “Don’t say it’s awful that you like it, Light, I wouldn’t have asked you to do it if I didn’t like it.” 

 

Light felt how L tensed against him when he made his half-ass apology, now actually feeling a bit bad for pretending to feel bad about something he didn’t feel bad about. Jesus. The circuitousness of that nearly made him laugh but he bit his lip so he wouldn’t give the wrong impression of his thoughts. Instead, he answered seriously, “You’re right, I don’t feel bad and I shouldn’t pretend to. It makes me feel like you belong to me and I like that quite a bit. That’s the truth.” Light still had some deprogramming yet to go to really shed all the “supposed to’s” and “should’s” from his upbringing and life, but the one person he didn’t have to make excuses to was L.

 

Hearing Light say the marks felt like ownership… A fierce grin spread across L’s face, and he just looked down, face flushing. He’d felt the same thing, in a way, and he liked the idea as well, had pretty much given himself over to the idea since Thursday night. It felt a lot more ‘right’ to him than anything else had in years. “Is that why you like seeing me in the collar so much?” he asked softly, dipping his fingers back into the mess and giggling around them at the expression on Light’s face. 

 

Light flushed a little when L asked him if that was why he liked seeing him in the collar, but figured why lie? “Um...yeah, I think that’s a big part of it. Plus it just looks really sexy on you.” _And I like grabbing onto it when we fuck._ He stared at L’s neck, a little smile tugging at one corner. “But when you don’t wear it I can see the bruises better, so...really either works for me.” That brought an interesting question into Light’s mind that hadn’t occurred until now. “Um..what did you coworkers think about those marks when you went back to work?” He laughed softly and then louder, imagining L’s gradual realization over the week that it had been Kira himself that placed that handprint there. “Better yet, what did you think about having Kira’s hand emblazoned right across your neck?” He hoped that none of L’s coworkers would be perceptive enough to compare the size of the handprint with _his_ hand, that would surely be embarrassing. 

 

Light’s questions made him laugh a little and he had to pull away, looking down at their messy chests with a smirk. “Well....” L started, swirling his fingers in the sticky mess on Light’s chest before scooting forward in his lap and bringing his fingers up to his mouth to lick them clean. “Honestly, nobody said anything. They all just kind of… got real quiet and then refused to look at me.” That made him laugh again, and he shrugged. “As for me? Well… my first reaction to finding out you were a suspect was, ‘Oh shit, Kira nearly choked the life out of me and _boasted about it._ Oh shit, why do I want him to do it _again_ ?’” Pressing a slow kiss to Light’s lips, L pulled back and said softly, “It was… I mean, technically, I was _supposed_ to oppose you. And every night when I tried to get a cat nap, all I could think about instead of that was how much I just wanted you to fuck me into the mattress. Which… probably explains why the first thing we did was tear each others’ clothes off on Wednesday, when we finally got to see each other again.”

 

L drew the tip of one finger down Light’s cheek before grabbing his sticky hand and licking the come off of it. “And… you know the rest,” he said softly, smiling before leaning down to lick at the mess coating Light’s chest. 

 

Although it was hard to focus with L’s fingers on his messy chest, _licking_ off both their cum, he managed to listen with amusement when L relayed how his coworkers had responded to the bruises. He was somewhat amazed that no one had said a thing. “Wow, they must really respect you there, not that I’d expected any differently.” A sly smile after their lips met, “That or you’ve managed to scare them into keeping their mouths shut.” But maybe it meant that they could get away with some things after all, odd occurrences or sneaking away might go unquestioned. It was interesting to him to know what L had been thinking in those days. “When I realized it was you, that you were L….honestly, at first I was devastated, it felt like the most unfair thing imaginable. That I’d finally found someone I was attracted to, fit well with, could be _real_ with, only for it to be the one person in the world I couldn’t have.” He swallowed hard, but smiled up at L adoringly. “Lucky for me that wasn’t the case.” He leaned up to kiss L softly. “So lucky for me.”

 

The amusement that he felt faded slightly when Light relayed the initial devastation he’d felt, and suddenly L understood better why Light had ignored him for three days. He swallowed hard around the lump in his throat, and nuzzled his nose against Light’s, sighing. “Is that the real reason you didn’t contact me?” he asked, reaching to frame Light’s face in both hands, thumbs stroking against his cheeks. 

 

L’s question took Light a little off guard, but he nodded slowly. “It wasn’t very kind of me to assume the worst, that it was some trap or if not, just a cruel trick of fate. But yeah, I was pretty upset when I came back and the cameras were there right away. I got...scared. I might have really compromised myself and how I’d stayed hidden for so long was by not getting close to anyone.” 

 

“I’m sorry for acting the way I did over that. That was... really ridiculous of me.” _And kind of makes me feel like I was acting like Misa, which is NOT a flattering comparison._ “I’m glad you gave me a second chance, at least.” He smiled and kissed Light again. Things really couldn’t have worked out better for both of them.

 

Light smiled when L started to apologize, holding up a hand like _not needed_. “Believe me, I wanted to call you. I was glad you texted me, even if I was a wreck when you did.”

 

L sighed a little, nodding in understanding. He supposed he probably _should_ apologize about the surveillance, considering everything, but… he wasn’t _really_ that sorry about some of it. And it would have been hypocritical to give an apology Light could see right through when he basically just chastised the teen for doing the same thing. “I feel bad for putting you in that position, Light,” he finally murmured, giving Light a little shrug and a sheepish grin. “I _am_ sorry about _that_. But… at least we got some fantastic private porn out of that surveillance. I’ll show you one of the videos later, if you like.”  


L smiled contentedly at that. _Lucky for both of us._ “Want me to clean this off you?” Glancing up, L licked at Light’s chest again before adding, “Or should I just bring out a washcloth? I was going to just wash myself off and then we can go if you like.” Once he put his laptop somewhere where the hotel staff wouldn’t be likely to snoop.

 

Light hummed to see L grab his hand and use his mouth to clean it up, watching intently with wide eyes. He whispered, “ _Of course_ I want you to clean me up. It’s so hot when you do that.” Light knew he’d have that mental image stuck in his head for the rest of the day now, L’s tongue dipping into both their cum. “Good thing you’ve practically emptied me this morning or we’d never leave this room.” He vaguely wondered where L wanted to go but the question seemed much less important than watching _this._

 

Another soft laugh left him then when Light said it was _hot._ “I will never get over you liking to watch me lick up our messes,” L murmured, giving Light a smirk. He leaned in and whispered in his ear, “That first time in the shower last week? That was hot as _hell_ when you _made me_ do it. But I’ll tell you a secret if you promise not to tell anyone else.” He paused for a beat and then whispered, “I actually _like_ the taste.” Without waiting for a reaction, L bent to begin licking the lowest drops from Light’s stomach, moving up painstakingly slowly to make sure he didn’t miss a single drop.

 

Light’s eyes went wide at L’s whispers, gripping him a little tighter. “Really? Fuck...” He didn’t mind the taste either but L sounded like he _really_ liked it, and the way he was so diligently licking up every drop from his body seemed evidence enough.

 

Light’s reaction to his little ‘confession’ made L chuckle. Tugging his fingers free, he pretended to look thoughtful before saying dryly, “I think all those _habits_ of mine that you seem to find so cute or endearing... weird them all out. That’s probably the _real_ reason they didn’t say anything. Because they weren’t sure how the strange frog man would respond to them saying anything.” The ‘frog man’ insult was sure to garner at least a look from Light, but it didn’t bother him like it had when he was younger and kids called him that (or Toad after the X-Men character, which had always made him laugh, honestly).

 

Light listened with curiosity that L thought the team members were weirded out by his habits, giving L a look, “Strange frog man? They’d never call you that, would they?” He would probably have a hard time not punching someone if they did, it would at least garner a snappy reply if that happened. “They better not do that in front of _me._ ” He stroked L’s back, “And yes, I _do_ find your habits endearing. Although, endearing isn’t the right word for all of them.” _Some of them just turn me on like crazy._ Light stared pointedly at L’s mouth, watching him lick up more of the mess. 

 

It honestly surprised L a little bit when Light got so instantly protective of him, and he smiled. It felt good that someone wanted to defend him, and for a moment, he wished that he and Light could have met at a younger age. _Not that it would have made a difference, considering I’m six years older than him._ “Oh, that’s just… something kids used to call me when I was younger. The funnier ones were the character ones like Frogger, Toad after the X-Men villain, Edward Scissorhands. The meaner ones… I don’t want to get into.” He glanced away before adding, “No, none of the members of the task force ever say anything like that about me, at least to my face. I have the feeling if they tried, your father would rip them a new one.”

 

Light moaned softly as L’s tongue swiped past his nipple and then bit him, and if it had been possible for him to have gotten hard again so soon, he would have. He breathed out, “L, if you keep this up, that ‘do not disturb’ sign is going to stay on the door all day and we’ll never get a new bed.” 

 

L glanced up with a grin when he heard that soft moan. “That certainly won’t do,” he murmured against Light’s skin, taking a moment to just nuzzle into his chest. There really wasn’t _much_ he loved better than just being able to _touch_ Light, to reach out and snuggle into him and know that this special, wonderful person wanted him just as he was. “As much as I would love that in any other circumstances, we absolutely _need_ that bed tonight, wouldn’t you agree?”

 

Pulling away, L gave him a sly smile before leaning down to twirl his tongue around Light’s nipples, nipping just because he _could_ before finally biting down gently at the teen’s collarbone. “I think I’m done. Quality check?” He sent a big grin Light’s way, and slid off his lap, tugging his jeans up slightly to sit more comfortably at his hips instead of halfway down his ass.

 

He looked down at himself when L said he was done, blinking because it really _was_ all gone. He giggled, “L is as efficient as ever. I think I’ll still wipe myself down with some soap and water so I don’t smell like cum the whole day. Although that might have its charms given you _like_ it.” Light leaned up and kissed L deeply, smiling into the kiss as he tasted it too, then leaned back and stretched as L got up to get dressed.

 

It was still difficult for L not to tease Light a little, but he managed to control himself enough to wait to see the results of his ‘inspection’. “Ah, that’s fine. I won’t be mad if you clean up.” L pressed into the kiss for a moment before pulling away with a laugh. “But unlike you, I actually _do_ need to get cleaned up. I’m not flexible enough to lick my own chest.”

 

Light got up too and pulled up his pants, waiting to put his shirt on until he’d washed up a little. He froze on his way to the hall bathroom when he heard L say he wasn’t flexible enough to lick his own chest, letting out a long heaving breath. _Tease._ “You just _had_ to put that mental image back in my head, didn’t you?” _And now I suddenly need to see that again, and film it._

 

“Huh?” L paused, frowning slightly as he thought about what he’d said. _OH._ Grinning, he called back innocently, “Why, you didn’t want it there? But you liked it so _much_ last time!” _I shouldn’t tease him too much, he’ll just get me back for it later._  

 

Light smirked and shook his head, going into the bathroom. “So where did you want to go? We didn’t really stall that long so the hotel shouldn’t be too annoyed with us about having to wait.”

 

Picking up his shirt, L started off for the bathroom, calling over his shoulder, “Oh, I am _definitely_ visiting that pastry shop on the first floor. I still haven’t been there, and that is a downright _travesty._ ” He didn’t bother to close the door to the washroom as he started to wash himself off, smirking as he waited to hear what Light would say. ‘ _I should have known,’_ was top of his list of things Light might tell him.

 

Light laughed, “I knew it! But I wouldn’t mind going there either. The pictures on their website make my mouth water.” The hotel soap smelled divine as he scrubbed the remnants of dried substances from his chest, feeling back to clean and normal again as he slipped his shirt over his head. While L was finishing up, he walked around the room and set things in order, checking to make sure that nothing scandalous was lying around. He paused when he went to get his death note from his backpack, picking it up and turning to fondly look at the last names they’d written. _L’s handwriting. Will take a while to get used to seeing that in here._

 

At least it turned out that Light wanted to go to the shop as well, it would have been slightly awkward if he hadn’t. “If they’re sold out of the strawberry tarts, I’m going to be sad,” L laughed, rinsing the washcloth and taking one more pass before drying off.

 

Light pushed the death note down his pants and arranged his shirt to hide it. No way he was going to leave it in here unattended without a good hiding spot. He wandered into the bathroom where L was and leaned against the door. “We need to get a safe for the death note. Something really secure that the hotel, that _no one_ , can get into but us.” He lifted his shirt slightly to show L where it was in the mirror. “Otherwise, it’ll just be down my pants anytime we leave this room, and that might be a little harder to hide given what I’m wearing to the concert tonight.” 

 

Catching a glimpse of Light in the mirror, L paused, smiling, gaze sliding down to glance at the death note for a moment before looking back up. “Is that not uncomfortable, Light?” he asked, pointing to Light’s pants and smirking slightly.

 

“Not really, but it certainly isn’t as secure as I’d like.” Light dropped his shirt again, going to the sink to brush his teeth. “You mentioned that your associate...Wedy? That she was a security expert. Maybe she knows a safe that we could use here for the time being.”

 

 L hung the towel back up and reached for his own toothbrush, remarking thoughtfully, “Yes, that’s a good idea. Wedy will be able to suggest something good. Something both secure and nondescript, even.” He lapsed into thoughtful silence as he brushed, and then he smiled at Light around the toothbrush. _And it will be useful for much more than the death note._ Rinsing his mouth, he spat into the sink before adding, “We can get one big enough that we can keep _all_ of our scandalous playthings locked up when we aren’t in the room, provided our collection doesn’t grow too big, too quickly.”

 

Light was going to have to leave his own phone here for now so the video download could proceed, and it occurred to him that maybe they should take everything with them for now. “Maybe a better idea for the moment would be to just take a backpack so your laptop goes with us. I trust this hotel but I don’t want to take _any_ chances losing what’s on that laptop. Someone could steal it thinking it was just a normal computer and get...a whole lot more.”

  
L turned away and tugged on his shirt, then stared at Light in slight horror. “Okay, yeah, I don’t want anyone getting a hold of those pictures, or that video, and I _definitely_ don’t want anyone getting a hold of any of my specialized programs. That would be _extremely_ bad.” _Never mind that you need passwords to get into literally everything that isn’t already open._ Chewing at his nails, he frowned, trying to think if there was really any other place they could stash the laptop for the time being, but... _I really don’t want to have to rebuild any of those programs, especially not the older ones. I’d have to rebuild THOSE ones from scratch._ Shrugging, L said quietly, “My backpack has all the toys, and it’s in the very back of the closet, so we’re going to need to use yours. Shall we?”


	39. Beautiful People

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Light and L get ready for the concert, and Light meets Wedy (who delights in teasing L) when she brings over a safe to hide certain things. L makes a decision about Beyond and Ryuk becomes a mini-fridge.

Their time out of the room passed quickly after they hit up the Pastry Boutique, and it was like literally seeing a kid in a candy shop. Light smiled as L darted from one glass case to the next excitedly. They ended up ordering a dozen different items to sample, and L was quite pleased that they did in fact have the strawberry tarts he’d had his heart set on. Light was more a fan of the chocolate creations but there wasn’t a single item that he didn’t ‘oooh’ over. Having this shop in the hotel was probably the best incentive Light could have imagined to get L to agree to move operations here, if he’d needed to twist L’s arm any further (which it didn’t seem he did). 

 

Light was pleasantly stuffed when they got back to their room, hand in hand, several hours later, and the room had been cleaned and freshened in their absence. He pointed out the array of fresh flowers now on the dining table, “Wow, they must really be glad that you extended your stay here.” 

 

L was scrolling through the pictures he’d taken in the boutique, trying to decide on the best ones to post later rather than paying _attention_ when Light pointed out the flowers. “Huh?” His gaze went to the array, eyes widening. “Wow. That’s a pretty nice arrangement, too,” he remarked, giggling. _Well, I DID say ‘indefinitely.’ I wonder if they put that there before or AFTER I set up the second reservation._ “I guess sometimes it’s nice to be a rich weirdo, huh? I wonder if this will be a daily thing now?” He certainly wouldn’t mind that, honestly.

 

The small tasteful card stuck in the flowers merely said, ‘ _Thank you for choosing the Park Hyatt for your stay.’_ Light snorted, flicking the card back to the table as he mentally calculated the fees the hotel anticipated them racking up here. “Well, let’s go check out our new bed, see if it’s up to snuff.” 

 

He set down his backpack and took L’s hand, pulling him into the bedroom. Light stopped in the doorway, gaping at the enormous steel-framed canopy bed that was now there in place of the more standard one. The design was sleek and modern, but as his fingers brushed over the welded metal it screamed _sturdy._ “I don’t think I’ll be breaking this one anytime soon.” His gaze wandered up to the metal struts forming the canopy that were draped with soft gauzy material. _Could probably tie all kinds of things to this bed._

 

“I’m certain the bed is up to snuff, Light, _you’re_ the one who picked it… oh wow,” L breathed, eyes going even wider now as he stepped up to admire the bed. His gaze immediately went to the canopy before he met Light’s eyes. _Holy shit._ “So… you up to learning any of those suspension designs any time soon, or are they too advanced yet?” he asked in a forced casual tone, trying not to let on how excited he was to try something _special_ out now that they had something to try them _on_. 

 

Light gave L an excited smile when he asked if he was up for learning any of the suspension kinbaku, wondering if L was reading _his_ thoughts now. “Oh I’m definitely up for that.” He added hastily, “But I probably need to get a little more practice with stationary ties before I feel confident to try that out.” His hand slid up the cool metal of the bed, envisioning fucking L suspended from the top bars. _Oh shit..._ “Any objections to practicing on my muse?” He held out his hand towards the bed, “Would you like to do the honors testing the mattress?” 

 

The grin on L’s face was a little childish (okay, it was _a lot_ childish), but he couldn’t help it; it had been a _long_ time since he’d been allowed to do something as silly as jump on the bed, and he just laughed in delight as he leapt unselfconsciously into the middle of the mattress, sending the artfully arranged pillows flying. “Light!” he called, rolling over onto his stomach and pulling the comforter with him as he snuggled in. “It’s _so_ comfortable, get in here!”

 

Light laughed when L leaped into the bed without hesitation, throwing the pillows in all directions. It made him happy to see L having fun and being a little silly, especially given the complications Light had introduced to his life. He shrugged and jumped in too when L beckoned, mostly to make sure that L could still _breathe_ amidst the blanket burrito he’d wrapped himself up in. He peeked inside, “Are you in there? What happened to my boyfriend? The evil bed swallowed him up!” 

 

Light’s teasing was making L laugh, even though it was _very_ muffled by the comforter. “I’m still alive, don’t worry,” he said, grinning at the teen from within the blankets. 

 

Light giggled as he pulled at a corner of the blankets and unraveled them enough to slip beneath them too. He snuggled up against L, although it felt odd being fully clothed. He sighed contentedly, “I suddenly have no regrets about breaking the bed. This one’s even more comfortable than the other one.” Light nuzzled against L’s cheek until he turned his head to kiss him, feeling warm and safe and comfortable here in their own little world. 

 

L wiggled around until he was facing Light, leaning in to wrap his arms around him and letting the teen kiss him. “By the way, your muse has absolutely _no_ objections to you practicing your rope work on him as much as you can,” L murmured against his lips, fingers stroking up and down Light’s back gently and slinging one leg comfortably over his hips to pull him closer. The thought of the kind of _practice_ Light would be putting in made his heart race, but for once, he wanted to just be in this sweet moment a little while longer, and he lapsed into silence again as they kissed softly.

 

“Don’t worry, I’ll get some ‘practice’ in soon.” Light glanced at the large TV mounted on the wall across from the bed, it would be perfect for viewing their little movie later. Raising an eyebrow, “Maybe tonight...if you find a picture you like.”

 

A shiver went through L and he glanced at Light as another thought occurred to him. _He could always hold me in place by tying the rope to the collar and securing me that way._ “Anything in that book that can be modified to use with the collar?” L asked, grinning excitedly as his grip on Light tightened a little.

 

Light heard Ryuk playing the Switch in the other room, which must mean that the shinigami was back from wherever he flew off to. He pulled back, smiling, “I guess we should get ready for the concert soon. It’ll take a little time to do our makeup, if you still want me to do yours. Also...I hope you don’t mind but I told Ryuk he could come too. He gets a kick out of concerts, finds the whole spectacle very entertaining. But he won’t bother us.” Light wondered if he’d run into Shinji there. He’d gotten a text from Misa saying that she was on a modeling gig in Osaka for a couple days, which meant that there was no way she’d be there. _Thank goodness._

 

The sounds of the Switch brought a smile to L’s face as well, and broke the comfortable little bubble they’d wrapped themselves in, and he sighed in slight disappointment as Light pulled away. He recovered quickly, though, pushing the blanket off of them and blinking slightly at the bright light in the room before saying, “I’ve never worn makeup before, so I’m not sure if I’ll be the most _stable_ canvas to work on, but I am _definitely_ interested in seeing what you can do.” He took that moment to stretch out, and rolled away from Light to lay on his back and look up at the canopy, unable to stop the grin spreading across his face again. _I wonder if he’s going to want to tie me to the bedposts like I did to him this morning._ Sitting up, L scooted off of the bed and went to the dresser, asking over his shoulder, “Where did you put my outfit, anyway? I’m going to get changed now before you start doing anything on _me_.”

 _  
_ _What’s he thinking about?_ The sly smile on L’s face didn’t escape his attention, but from where L was looking, Light could guess what he was thinking about. He rolled off the bed and opened the bottom dresser drawer, holding up the clothes he’d asked Ryuk to bring L from his closet. “Here you go, no turning back now.” He laid them on the bed, smirking that he’d get to see L in them soon.

  
L’s gaze followed Light’s rummaging briefly, voice was a little breathless as he asked, “Are you going to do your makeup first? Or mine?” He should _definitely_ change into that crop top before he started messing with his hair, it was going to take a bit to remember how he had styled it. “And no, I don’t mind if Ryuk comes along. I’m honestly a little jealous that he can go literally wherever he wants without people pestering him about it.” 

 

“I’ll probably do your makeup first since it will take me longer, then I’ll get dressed after that.” Light opened his makeup box, perusing it for all the things he’d need to recreate the Cleopatra eye look he had in mind for L. _Black liquid eyeliner, blue and gold shadow..._ He sorted those and a few other things out, turning back to L. “Maybe you do your hair first, that way I’ll know what I’m working with, make it pop.” Plus L was less likely to smudge it if he got his hair out of the way first.  

 

Turning to the bed, L tugged his shirt off over his head and tossed it on the mattress, plucking up the crop top and pulling it on. It was an odd feeling, only wearing half a shirt, but he shrugged and tried to ignore the oddness as he took the pants with him into the bathroom. _Might as well change into those later._

 

When L pulled the crop-top on, Light just stared, humming low in his throat. “Damn....” L’s whole midriff was exposed, his very pale skin in stark contrast to the black fabric. Light settled behind L as he turned to the mirror, his hands unable to keep from roaming across bare skin. He leaned closer and nipped at L’s earlobe, “That looks amazing on you. Slutty, but amazing. Great combination in my opinion.”

 

With the way Light was touching him, L found himself swallowing hard and thinking to himself, _And suddenly I have NO problem with only wearing half a shirt._ “You _do_ like to call me your slut,” he pointed out, voice soft and amused as he… maybe preened a little. Besides, it wasn’t like that was inaccurate, practically since he’d _met_ Light, he’d been happily letting his libido run rampant. Blowing out a slow breath, L had to remind himself to _focus_ , or they would never leave this suite. _It will be so much more amazing if we behave ourselves until later._ “I like _being_ your slut. Though I think that this is _definitely_ not safe for work.” 

 

Light gathered up the makeup, his cheeks burning slightly from L saying he _liked_ being Light’s slut, and went into the bathroom where the lighting was better, humming ‘Another Dead End in Tokyo’ and starting to get a little excited for the show. Light dumped the makeup on the counter, waiting to see what kind of hairstyle L would go for. “Oh! Almost forgot.” He dashed back into the bedroom and grabbed the hairspray and gel, returning with them to L. “Might need these if you’re planning for it to stay all night.”

 

L hesitated a moment, setting the black jeans aside when Light ran back into the bedroom for the gel and hairspray, and he took the product from Light’s hands, laughing as he admitted, “Okay, so I haven’t done anything interesting with my hair in six years, so this is going to be sort of a free-for-all approximation of what I used to do.” Regardless, he got right to it, running the water and wetting his hands before running them through his hair - he remembered _that_ much, at least, that it had always worked better when his hair was damp. “By the way, if you think I’m doing something wrong, feel free to give me tips, I’m _not_ going to complain about anything that will get this done quicker.” Taking the gel, he squirted some into his hands and began working it into his hair, tugging sections upwards and forwards until he was happy with the swoop. As he squirted more gel into his hands, L caught Light’s eye, and smiled sheepishly. “What?” 

 

Light watched with a bemused smile as L wet his hair and tried to get it to behave, biting his lip to keep from giggling as rogue strands kept flying away or popping out of formation. When L caught his eye in the mirror, he just shook his head and grinned, “Nothing at all, please proceed.” 

 

L began focusing on the left side, smoothing his fingers through the strands and making the attempt to sweep everything up and to the side, keeping it as flat as possible, but this part had always been a hilarious mess that hadn’t always worked out. _Ugh, this isn’t fucking working. Maybe my hair is too long for this._ “Actually… if you have any tips on keeping this side from sticking out funny, I am _all_ ears….”

 

Light waited a minute longer before having to step in, “Here, let me help you out with...um, just this last part.” Light smirked as he sat up on the counter facing L, first coating his hands with a blast of hair spray before smoothing his fingers through the wild abyss of L’s hair. “Wow...I wonder if maybe your hair wasn’t _quite_ so thick in your, er, emo phase.”

 

L couldn’t hide the light snort that left him when Light stepped in to help. He smiled at the determined way Light went about it, watching his face and laughing at the side comments. “My hair has _always_ been thick and unruly, there were times when I would try something new and literally just left it looking ridiculous because I could not get it to do what I wanted. And trust me when I say I _tried_.” Light definitely knew what he was doing better than L ever had, and even though he probably _could have_ felt insulted or inadequate, he just… didn’t. It felt nice to be fussed over. “I mean, the only difference is I don’t think my hair was this long when I tried to do this last time.”

 

Light was dauntless in the task, holding stubborn pieces back and spraying them before moving to the next part, all the while keeping L’s original swoopy style. Finally, he leapt up from the counter and circled around, giving an approving nod. “It really suits you!” He washed his hands in the sink and leaned in to kiss L, being careful not to disturb their creation. “I think there’s enough gel and hairspray to make it stay like that all week, let alone one night. But it’s staying put.” 

 

L couldn’t help but admire what Light was doing in terms of the actual execution of the look, because this was the best his hair had ever _looked_. Grinning, L turned his head slightly to the side, getting a good look at the profile of the look, and he couldn’t help but squirm in pleasure at Light’s compliment. He reached out to squeeze his fingers around Light’s wrist as he kissed him back happily, murmuring an excited, “Wow! So… this is the second time in two days you’ve helped with my hair, and I have to say… so far, I really like when you style it. It always looks really nice. Thank you, Light.”

 

Light admired it a little longer, thinking that the more dramatic eye could be on the side where most of the hair was pulled away. Before he got started, he gave L a playfully chastising look, “I’m going to need you to sit perfectly still or you’re going to look more like Michael Jackson than Cleopatra. Do you need to grab a snack, drink, idly fidget before I get started?”

 

The chastisement pulled a loud laugh from L, and he huffed, giving Light a playful pout. “Let me change my jeans first, and then you can work the rest of your magic.” _Thinks I can’t sit still. Didn’t I stay pretty still when he was tying me up yesterday?_ He snickered at that as he tugged his own jeans off, hyper aware of the way Light was staring at him as he wiggled into the tight jeans, getting them halfway before he paused. _Oh shit, these are going to show off EVERYTHING._ “Um. Okay, real talk, would you rather I _not_ wear boxers tonight? These are… _very_ tight.” _And if I don’t wear them, that’s one less thing to take off, heh._

 

Light beamed when L seemed pleased with how his hair turned out, giving it one final spray before setting the hair products aside for himself later. “Thick and unruly as it may be, I have managed to tame it. And it really looks great. Anytime you want me to do your hair I’m happy to.” He giggled a little, “Just give me an hour or so.” Not _that_ much time had passed but it had been a good half hour between the two of them to wrangle L’s locks.

 

Giggling, L pointed out dryly, “It didn’t take us an _hour_ to do my hair, silly.” He doubted he was fooling Light, he loved the teasing and the dramatic way Light was bragging. _You’re so cute._ “But I will definitely take you up on that offer more often.” He stared at Light now, wondering if he could get the teen’s attention by pushing the pants back down a little slower, but… no, that was verging on a little _too_ teasing. _Come on, idiot, get your hormones at least SOMEWHAT under control._  

 

L’s prior idea about using the collar in the ropework kept popping into Light’s mind as L changed clothes, but if he focused on that, not only would he lose his resolve to _behave_ when it came to putting that lipstick on L, they’d miss the concert completely and never get to film themselves. _No, focus on the task at hand and try to ignore the teasing._ Of course, Light wasn’t being much better, but with L dressed like that and now wriggling into tight as hell jeans and then asking whether he should wear underwear...his own pants were feeling rather tight. He swallowed and broke his stare, looking up to the ceiling as he furtively adjusted himself, “Um...it’s up to you. I mean, just for the aesthetics you might not want to wear any, nothing at _all_ to do with _..._ oh hell, don’t wear any.”

 

Taking a deep breath, L snickered to himself. “Okay then!” He turned away to shuck the offending boxers off, kicking them into the corner before tugging the borrowed jeans back on with a smirk, glancing back over his shoulder at Light and adjusting himself carefully before doing them up. “There, my ass isn’t hanging out anymore. How do I look?” He did a slow turn, sticking his tongue out playfully at Light. _I probably look like a My Chemical Romance reject._

 

Light raised an appreciative eyebrow as L did his turn, a slow smile spreading across his face. “ _Very_ nice. Although I certainly don’t mind your ass hanging out either.” He pressed a kiss to L’s cheek as he came back into the bathroom, unable to resist giving his ass a squeeze too before checking himself. He really wasn’t any good at not thinking about sex when L was around, breaking into soft laughter behind his hand. “You’re right though, that outfit is _not_ safe for work. I can already imagine the looks we’ll be getting when suddenly this new guy shows up and Ryuzaki is smiling a lot more...with bruises around his neck...and probably tying up cherries at every snack break to torment me.” Light laughed harder. 

 

Teasing and playing more or less out of his system, L was content for now to let Light do whatever it was he wanted, saying softly, “If I _can’t_ hide that I’m happier now when we’re around the others, I’m _really_ not going to be too worried about that.” He smiled at the teen, and added, “Mind, I’m going to try not to make it _too_ obvious that _you_ are the reason I’m happy, but… I can’t be mad about it. A brief smirk played across L’s lips as he teased, “And I _love_ when you grab my ass, is that weird?” He fell silent again, unable to contain his smiles as he eyed all the things the teen had brought in, and while some of it he knew simply because it was self explanatory, there seemed to be a lot of other things Light had that didn’t really make sense to him. “Now I kind of wish I _had_ experimented with makeup when I was younger. But whatever you think works best is fine, Light, I don’t _think_ I have any preference.” 

 

Light pulled a chair closer to the brightly-lit mirror, guiding L to sit down as he really took in the man’s features from a new point of view, turning his face in the light. “I’m thinking that we cover up those dark circles a little else the eye makeup won’t stand out as much.” L’s skin was much paler than his own but he rummaged in his makeup box and found a concealer Misa had given that matched her lighter skin tone and would work on L. _I wonder how long he’s had those dark circles for, has he ever seen himself without them?_ He dabbed some of the concealer on L’s face and after some blending was amazed that they were completely hidden. He stepped aside so L could see his reflection. “Is it ok? If it’s too jarring, I can wash it off. I want you to feel good tonight.”

 

L smiled up at Light when the teen stepped away, and looked at himself in the mirror, blinking in surprise. “Damn, so _that’s_ what I’d look like if I slept like a normal person.” Glancing up at Light again, he laughed. “It’s… weird, but it’s fine. I’m already going to look _so_ different tonight that one more thing isn’t going to make or break me. Besides, I really _am_ feeling pretty good already.”

 

Light was relieved when L didn’t object to the concealer, not wanting to give the impression that he was trying to change what might be long-familiar aspects of L. But he had a point, they were already going to look nigh unrecognizable, why not go all in? He smiled as he picked up the shadows next, “I’m going to try to get you to sleep a little more, fair warning.” He tilted L’s chin up, starting to brush on the eyeshadow. “Not because I’m trying to change your habits but because you’re still human and I want you to be healthy.” 

 

L was quiet for a long moment when Light began applying the makeup, not wanting to disturb him too much… and also not quite knowing what to say. Finally, he murmured, “I _already_ sleep better when I’m with you, Light. I _like_ that you want to take care of me.” _It feels like you’re the first person who has wanted to take care of me because of ME, rather than just because I need to function to do my job, or whatever._ Perhaps that thought was a little unfair, but underneath all the playful banter and teasing, he really _did_ feel the care Light showed him.

 

Light blended the blue and gold on one eye and then the other, giving L a grin, “This is going to look crazy but amazing. I’ll have to remember to thank Sayu next time I see her for teaching me all this.” He got quiet as he started on the eyeliner, concentrating on the design and keeping his hand steady so it would be perfect. “Here, close your eyes for a moment.” Light gave a few more directions, look up, down, tilt this way and that, until he was finally finished with his human canvas. 

 

He grinned wide as he leaned back to take it all in, the Cleopatra eye on the side not hidden by hair and L’s huge eyes made to look even larger and more striking with the blue shadow and gold highlights. Softly, “You look beautiful. Cleopatra herself would be envious.” Stepping out of the way so L could see in the mirror, “Do you like it?”

 

L’s gaze followed Light for a moment, suddenly nervous to see the look, but when he _did_ finally look, he couldn’t help but stare, wide-eyed. “Oh _wow_ ,” he breathed, leaning forward to see it better. After a moment, he found himself giggling, “I don’t know _how_ you did it, but you managed to make my eyes look _huge_.” He glanced at the teen, beaming at him as he stood up, “I _love_ it. If I ever meet your sister, I’m going to have to thank her _myself_ for teaching you all of this.” L pulled Light towards him, kissing him happily. They hadn’t even made it out of the suite to _go_ to the show, and this was already the most fun he’d had in years. Pulling back, L laughed softly and said, “I should behave and let you get ready, yeah? Besides, I have a few things to check on my laptop before we finish getting ready.”

 

Light was grinning when L pulled him into a kiss, their teeth clacking softly and making him pull away with a laugh. “I’m glad you like it, but I’m not done yet.” He pressed L’s shoulder to get him to sit down again, taking the lipstick and clear lacquer that would set it. Light straddled L’s lap, sighing as he looked between L’s mouth and his eyes. Quietly, “Ok, now’s the tricky part. Can I do this without getting a boner? Probably not, but here we go.”

 

L swallowed hard when Light straddled his lap, staring at him with a small smile as the teen spoke. _Yeah, I can guarantee that I’m not going to be able to sit here like this without getting turned on,_ he thought to himself, hands coming up to rest lightly on Light’s thighs.

 

Light giggled as he uncapped the red lipstick and held L’s chin steady so it would go on perfectly, doing _pretty_ well until he suddenly got an image of red lipstick marks around his... _oh shit…_ He exhaled and pulled his hand away, the bottom lip only half done, as he wiggled in L’s lap. “Um…” He looked up at the ceiling a moment, counting back from 5 in his head, then hastily filled in the last part of L’s lip.

 

L carefully made himself keep his hands still as Light put the lipstick on him, but there was a moment… his breath caught at the way Light was wiggling in his lap, fingers kneading and digging into the teen’s thighs now as he whispered, “ _Shit_ , Light.” _You’re a bloody tease. I wonder what he’s thinking of_. L had a sneaking suspicion of what Light had been thinking, squeezing his eyes shut against the mental image _he_ was suddenly entertaining of kissing his way down Light’s body, leaving lipstick marks everywhere his lips touched. He had to stop the fantasy there, or else he would have a difficult time restraining himself from actually _doing_ it. _We’re supposed to be behaving WELL, not giving IN to our urges._

 

Light cleared his throat and stood up, just staring down at L. “That looks obscenely hot, holy shit.” He wiped away a tiny smudge at the corner, which broke his reverie. “Oh, almost forgot…” He applied a coat of the clear lacquer and blew on it, smiling when it didn’t smudge anymore at his touch. “There. Now you’re all done and can go check your laptop. I better get myself ready.” _And distract myself._

 

It was difficult to curb the urge to be naughty when Light was staring at him like that and telling him how hot he looked… but after Light was finally finished with him, L found himself giggling out a teasing “ _Fiiiiiine_ , if you insist,” as the teen shooed him out of the room. He had gotten only the briefest glimpse in the mirror as Light shuffled him out, so he immediately went into the hall bathroom to get another look at himself. “ _Damn_.” He brought his fingers up to his mouth to test the lipstick, a small, slightly pouty smile coming to them when his fingers came away clean. _Oh man, I cannot wait for the show. I’m actually going to FEEL like one of the pretty people for once._

 

Light walked back into the bedroom and took the outfit he was going to wear, and it was no coincidence that Light had chosen one of the sluttiest things he owned. _If I have to see you looking like that, you’ve got to see me looking like this._ He ushered L out the bedroom door, “I want you to wait until I’ve got everything done, and then you can see the whole thing.” Light would feel self-conscious if L watched what a silly perfectionist he was, and he’d be quicker without an audience or more distracting thoughts. When the door had closed, he shucked off his normal clothes and folded them up, wiggling into the tight leather pants and the mesh shirt, layering the cut-out vinyl top over it. There were long gloves too but he’d wait until he was done with his hair and makeup first. He took a long look in the mirror, biting his lip at the image he made already, then headed into the bathroom to get to work.

 

With L out of the room, Light could take his time and primp without feeling self-conscious (including his 7-step skin cleansing routine before any makeup application). He was riding a little high that L’s look had turned out so well at his hands, and even tapped out a quick little text to Sayu just to say hello and that he missed her. He got back an opus of sisterly greetings and updates on her middle school antics that made him smile, and he paused between hair-styling and spraying to text her back harmless tidbits about what he’d been up to. His father had already told the family he’d be joining the team and Sayu was full of questions he couldn’t answer (and she knew that). He finally signed off to focus on his eye makeup, which took some concentration and a steady hand. But he couldn’t help snapping a picture of the look and sending it to Sayu, “ **Recognize your work? ;) gtg talk later!’** He gave his purposefully (‘artfully’) messy hair a last tousle and closed his phone before Sayu blew it up. Light wiggled a bit in his skin-tight pants, sliding his phone into his back pocket and taking a long look at himself. A little smirk as he swiped some sparkly clear lip gloss on, “Not bad, not bad at all.”

 

Smiling widely now, L went to dig his laptop out of Light’s bag, plugging the hard drive back in and settling onto the couch, opening up their self-recorded video briefly, just to make sure it loaded properly - when it loaded, he was a little surprised to see that it was over half an hour long, and as Light’s voice came out of the speakers, he quickly exited out of it. “No spoilers,” he murmured, cheeks reddening slightly. He typed in the string of numbers and symbols from memory as each password box popped up, giggling at the thought of what Light would say if he saw how _involved_ the decryption process was. Finally, he was in, and he went into his video folder (after typing in yet _another_ password) and created a new folder there that he simply called ‘hard candy’, taking another minute to encrypt the hell out of it before clicking back into the window with his recent transfers and starting to move the files over.

 

While things were transferring (and _that_ was going to take a while, as well), L began looking through various picture folders on the hard drive, trying to find his old pictures for Light. He hadn’t _quite_ found them when he heard the door open behind him. “When did you want to head out, Light?” he asked absently, grinning fiercely when he clicked into a folder with about two dozen little thumbnails of pictures from that year. Not _all_ of them were of his emo phase, but quite a few of them were, if the progression of the thumbnails was anything to go by.

 

Light wandered back into the living room, leaning in the doorway as he watched L crouched over the computer. “Oh, I think we should go in the next 30 minutes or so, that should give us enough time on the train.” 

 

“30 minutes… nice,” L said, smiling as he clicked on one of the pictures. “Also, I _think_ I found those old pictures you wanted to see so badly.”

 

Light smiled to see L so engrossed in the triumph of finding the old pictures, and while he _was_ interested in those, he wanted L’s eyes on him at the moment. “Ahem.” He pursed his lips into a pout at having been ignored for the briefest moment, fiddling with the mesh against his skin. “I didn’t get so beautified just to compete with pixels, L. Hmph.” He was trying not to smile but knew it would break whenever L deigned to look up.

 

The sound of Light’s throat clearing caught L’s attention, and he straightened, eyes widening as he realized that this meant Light was _done_ getting ready. _And I was too preoccupied to look, how rude of me._ L immediately set his laptop aside and turned his head to see, mouth going dry as he took in the way Light looked. “Oh _damn_.” He stood up, a grin breaking out again on his lips as he made his way over, unable to keep his gaze from traveling up and down Light’s body. “Light, you look…” Lifting his eyes to the teen’s face, L reached out, hand hovering awkwardly and unsure if he wanted to press his fingers to Light’s chest or his cheek.

 

“You are _so_ fucking hot,” he breathed, finally stepping in close and bringing his hands to rest briefly on Light’s chest, trailing his fingers down the teen’s abdomen. L smiled back up at Light and added, “I am going to be the luckiest person there. I don’t know _how_ I’m going to be able to keep my hands off of you in this outfit, it _really_ suits you.” _Maybe I should have chosen something a little more outlandish?_  

 

Light’s faux pout spread to a gratified smile at L’s reaction, although he still tossed his hair coquettishly, “Now _that’s_ better. Thank you.” He laughed easily, embracing L back and pulling him closer.

 

L tilted his head and smiled curiously, hands encircling Light’s waist and almost hoping he wasn’t just seeing things as he asked, “Hey, are you wearing the same blue eyeshadow you used on _me_?”

 

“Yes, it’s the same color blue shadow, but I used silver instead of gold for the highlights. Do you like it?” Light batted his mascara-ed lashes a few times for L’s benefit, immensely enjoying the effect he was having on the man. “And who says we have to keep our hands off each other at the concert? There’ll be so many people around nobody will notice a little groping...long as we keep our clothes on.” _Well, until we don’t._

 

The way Light reacted pulled a happy laugh from L, and he reached up to lightly trace his fingers underneath one of Light’s eyes, smiling. “I _love_ it, Light,” he murmured, giggling at the way Light was playing it up for him. “Especially the fact that you used the same color. Maybe I’m being ridiculously sentimental, but it feels like a sneaky way of broadcasting that we’re together.” Glancing up at Light through his lashes, his grin melted away into a smirk, and he finally let his hands wander down to cup Light’s ass, laughing a little when one hand closed around the phone. He shifted that hand back up to skim his fingers under the waistband of the tight leather as much as he could, swallowing hard as he said in a low voice, “As if groping each other in public, regardless of how dark it is, isn’t going to be enough to give _that_ impression.”  

 

“What’s wrong with being a little sentimental?” Light brushed a finger down L’s cheek and across the new, bright bruises. “But like you said, I don’t think anyone will wonder if we’re _together_.” He giggled, letting his hands push into the back pockets of L’s jeans and give him a little squeeze

 

L’s breath hitched when Light groped him back, and he looked away with a smile, cheeks beginning to flush as he added hastily, “ _I’ll_ be one of the beautiful people tonight, and _you_ look like a god of sex. Like I said… I’ll be the luckiest person there.” 

 

Light laughed softly, “God of sex and his beautiful muse.” He gave L a soft peck on the lips, tilting his head with satisfaction when it didn’t smear. “You really look beautiful. Not that you don’t always, but this is fun isn’t it? To dress up all glamorous like _somebody_ _else_ just for a little while? Or maybe just different versions of us.”

 

The pictures L had been looking at had piqued Light’s interest and he motioned to the computer with his chin. “So you found the ‘supposedly’ missing evidence of your rebellious phase.” Light stuck his bottom lip out teasingly, “That means you told me a wicked lie before. But I suppose if you show me now, I’m inclined to...defer your punishment to later.” He gave L one more squeeze before removing his hands and going to sit on the couch. But two things seemed to be missing from L’s outfit, one he’d remind him of now and one he’d...wait for later. Light pointed at L’s bare feet, “What about your stompy boots? I assume you’ll wait to put them on until right before we leave but can I see them too?” _Chains and all…_

 

Tilting his head towards the couch, L stepped back when Light released him. He laughed, nearly reaching up to run his fingers through his hair before stopping himself, instead letting his fingers trail over his bottom lip for a moment as he quickly recounted where he’d left the collar. In his backpack, probably. Had it been in the bathroom…? _No, definitely in the bag._  

 

Looking back up at Light with a smile, he said with a giggle, “If you give me a sec, I need to grab those boots _and_ the collar, I have some slight modifications to do to both. And one of the pictures is already open if you want to look through them without me, I will _literally_ be back in a minute.” Without waiting for Light to say anything, he hurried into the bedroom again, making a beeline for the closet.

 

Light settled on the couch, bringing L’s laptop onto his knees to check out the pictures. _L wasn’t kidding that it was a full-blown emo phase._ But the pictures made him smile even if L himself didn’t look particularly happy in any of them-- the style definitely suited L’s pale skin, skinny body, dark hair and eyes. He enlarged a few where L was wearing a similar hairstyle as tonight, even though Light thought his hair looked better now. 

 

 _God of sex and his beautiful muse._ The words played in L’s head as he retreated, and it was difficult to suppress the smile as he rummaged around. _How does he always know what to say to make me feel so special? And why do I even care about feeling beautiful now?_ Whatever, he wasn’t going to question it too much, especially when it was becoming more and more clear that Light really meant his words. In the short time L had known him, he was already starting to learn the subtle undertones of Light’s speech patterns when he lied, and though there wasn’t _much_ of a difference between the lies and the truth, it _was_ there, and he never heard evidence of lying when Light was complimenting him. 

 

Light called into the bedroom, “Don’t know why’d you be embarrassed to show me these, I think you look great.”

 

L dug out the collar, grabbing the boots on his way back into the main room. “Thank you, Light, but I still look like a moody teenager,” he said as he emerged, peeking at the screen to see that Light had enlarged one of the photos to be fullscreen. “Well, at least that’s one of the better pictures. I still have that t-shirt. _Please_ at least tell me you like My Chemical Romance, too. Or at _least_ that you don’t think they’re some overrated emo band like those music elitists did back in 2007.”

 

Pausing, L remarked, “I’m actually a little surprised Wedy hasn’t shown up yet, it must have taken her a little longer to procure a suitable safe than I-”

 

Light heard a knock at the door, and he hastily shut the laptop in case it was the hotel. But it was a distinctive knock, like a signal, and he turned halfway towards the door watching L. “Think that’s her? Wedy?” L had called her when they were out of the room to bring them a safe to store the Death Note in when needed, although _she_ didn’t know that was the purpose. _Or that our toys would be going in there too._

 

The knock at the door made L shut up immediately, snickering. That was _definitely_ her knock. L set down his accessories on the couch and made his way over to the door, checking out the peephole just to make sure. “Hello, Wedy,” he called dryly through the door, opening it and stepping back, relishing her expression of utter shock as she took in his outfit. The shock quickly made way to amused appraisal as she looked him up and down.

 

Light smiled at the confirmation it was her, perking up and listening to their exchange since L had mentioned previously that she might be an asset for Kira. That determination would have to wait but he was curious to get a first impression. 

 

“Well, don’t _you_ just look like a million bucks,” Wedy said, laughing, resting her hand on a sturdy looking case. “ _Damn._ Nice to finally get to _see_ you this time around, Ryuzaki.”

 

“Heh… Thanks. Good to see you, too,” L said with a pleased grin, beckoning her in. “Did you wait out there until you heard your name?”

 

“Pure coincidence,” she said, eyes dancing with suppressed laughter as she tossed her hair over her shoulder and stepped in with the case. It was a decent size, and looked relatively light weight, considering she seemed to have no problem carrying it, but L knew part of that was also that she was much stronger than she looked.

 

“That’s a load of bollocks, and you _know_ it,” L accused teasingly, pleased when she laughed again. Her amusement regarding Brit-speak was still alive and well, clearly.

 

“So where’s the young man who’s finally popped your cherry? I’d like to meet him,” Wedy said, giving him another quick once over before striding ahead of him into the living room.

 

L’s face flushed when Wedy walked away from him with that remark hanging in the air, staring with his mouth hanging open. “ _Wedy!_ ” 

 

Stopping in her tracks, Wedy stared at Light before grinning appreciatively. “Oh, hel- _lo_ gorgeous. You’re him, I take it?”

 

Light blushed at Wedy’s familiar tone, it didn’t seem like L’s people had any more concept of boundaries than L himself did, so maybe it was to be expected. After a moment he laughed nervously and shrugged, “I guess so, although it’s more accurate to say our mutual cherries were popped.” He laughed a little more genuinely, standing up and walking over to her and L with his hand out to shake Wedy’s, “Nice to meet you, I’m Light. Ryuzaki’s told me how talented you are with security, but somehow neglected to mention what a stunning beauty you are.” He gave L a little wink, because of course L knew he was as gay as they came but wouldn’t pass up the opportunity to be inappropriately charming. “I suppose it was Aiber that let slip about our relationship?”

 

As L hurried after Wedy, he was relieved to see Light responding to her pleasantly, and his embarrassment lessened when he saw the wink Light threw his way. He returned a grateful smile, shoving his fingers in the pockets of the jeans and sighing when Wedy began laughing.

 

“Oh, you are quite the _charmer_ , Light, thank you,” she said, smiling delightedly at him and squeezing his hand lightly. Glancing back at L, she gave him a wink, and said, “I like him.” Turning back to Light, she set the carrying case down and nodded. “It was, actually. But don’t worry, he isn’t going to say anything to anyone else, he knows to be discreet. Something you two… certainly are _not_ going to be this evening, oh my.” 

 

Light gave Wedy a gracious nod in response to her ‘charmer’ remark, gratified that said charm seemed to have worked to smooth over the slight embarrassment he had felt. It was an odd but somewhat refreshing experience to be around such _frank_ people; Japanese in general were never so brutally honest especially about sex. But he couldn’t deny it was amusing and adorable to see L blushing so hard, it made him want to play along even if it was outside his usual types of comfortable conversation.

 

Another laugh left Wedy, and she beckoned L over. “I need to get a picture of you two together-”

 

“Wedy, be careful about pictures,” L interrupted, suddenly nervous, and she only laughed again.

 

“Oh, I just wanted a picture to show Aiber, he’ll be as shocked as I was. And you both look _fantastic_. But if you’d rather not, then that’s fine, I’ll just make up outlandish stories to tell him about why you need your own private _safe_. I wonder what sex toys I can make him believe you own.” With a devious grin, she blew them both a teasing kiss, turning around to start walking slowly towards the door.

 

“You wouldn’t!” Giving Light a sheepish look, L whispered in a stage voice, “She really won’t show anyone but Aiber, I’m, like, _ninety_ percent sure they’re fucking.”

 

“Oh, we are,” she shot back over her shoulder, stopping at the entrance to the hallway and tossing her hair back again, leaning against the wall with a grin. “What do you say, boys? Am I trustworthy enough?”

 

“Oh, well, it’s not about being trustworthy-” L began.

 

Light giggled and draped an arm around L, whispering just loudly enough for Wedy to probably hear, “She’s right on the money about what we intend to put in that safe, isn’t she? Sure _she’s_ not the detective?” 

 

L had honestly not been expecting Light to give Wedy the green light to tease them about the sex toys, and he was sure his face was beet red as he turned to stare at Light with wide eyes and jaw dropped. “Light!” he sputtered, trying to stop the way his lips were quirking up at the corners - he was _not_ supposed to be smiling about this, dammit. But the way Light was grinning at him, and the way Wedy laughed fondly just made the embarrassment swirling in his chest bleed away until all that was left was a warm, happy feeling. “Oh fine, you _both_ win, I guess it’s pick on Ryuzaki day.”

  
Light gave L’s pink cheek a kiss, turning back to Wedy, “I don’t mind if you want to get a picture of us if it will sate Aiber’s curiosity. God knows we owe him one after what we made him...endure in that limo.” _So Wedy and Aiber are screwing around, huh? They seem a good match actually._

 

Wedy’s eyes glinted again as she added casually, “I mean, either way, I promise I won’t be telling Watari how loud you apparently are, Ryuzaki. Aiber hasn’t given him anything but the bare bones details, either, and then only because Watari _asked._ Ryuzaki, he was quite surprised by your… boldness.” 

 

Light laughed harder when Wedy mentioned how _loud_ L was, a fact that he definitely couldn’t dispute. He buried his face in L’s hair as the fit of giggles didn’t subside, imagining the look on both Aiber and Watari’s faces as they discussed what L had been _boldly_ up to. “Nonsense.” He tried and failed to keep a straight face. “Ryuzaki isn’t loud---pfttt---not at all….” He took a few deep breaths to try to calm himself, “Stop making me laugh or my mascara’s going to run. And then we’ll be late to the concert if I have to do it all over again.” 

 

The way Wedy smiled at L was both heartwarming and a little embarrassing, but at least he knew that she was trying to reassure him that she had his back. Which made it easier for him to say, “Ugh, you two are both being brats.” He crossed his arms, sticking out his tongue at her playfully.

 

“Aww, we only tease because you’re so _adorable_ when you blush,” Wedy said, studying Light again with warm appraisal as she stepped back into the room. “Honestly, I think you deserve a little happiness without the old man’s interference.”

 

Light sobered up immediately at Wedy’s remark about L deserving some happiness without Watari’s interference, bringing to mind his anxieties about other kinds of interference the older man could present if inclined to. Plus it irked him more generally, thinking about how Watari had inserted himself between L and everything else in his life. _He better not fucking try that with me, any more than he already has. I won’t stand for it._ Light swallowed, giving Wedy a more serious look, “Truer words have not been spoken. I hope that in this instance he’ll learn to take a step back.” But he didn’t want to focus on serious and depressing things tonight, and brushed all those thoughts aside. “Anyway, go ahead and snap your picture if it’s ok with Ryuzaki, as long as you promise to keep it between you and Aiber.”

 

For a moment, L thought she might be about to say something, but then Wedy only smiled at Light’s serious words and nodded. “Aiber and I will make sure that old goat doesn’t interfere too much. Ryuzaki is like our honorary little brother.”

 

“Would you _stop_?” L whined, playing up the role, and Wedy laughed at that, reaching out to trace a fingernail lightly across his cheek, careful not to smear the design under his eye.

 

“Alright, Cleo. Now, would you like me to send the picture to you once I’ve taken it? If you like, I will delete it as soon as I show it to Aiber, I know your... concerns.”

 

Light snickered at ‘old goat,’ not wanting to agree _too_ enthusiastically about that. In a way, meeting Wedy and Aiber were like meeting L’s family, or at least two people who appeared to have L’s real happiness as a priority. _This is how I’d hoped the ‘old goat’ would have reacted to us._

 

L shook his head, saying quietly, “You don’t have to delete it. Just.. if you could send it to me over Wire, along with any future messages, that would be perfect.” He smiled up at Light, and he thought he heard a soft, amused sound out of Wedy.

 

“Alright, in that case… Give us a smile, boys.”

 

L wrapped an arm possessively around Light’s waist, fingers playing lightly against his stomach before looking back at Wedy, unable to stop himself from beaming as he thought back to what they’d _done_ in that limo. _I’m definitely living out some sort of typical teenage dream right now, aren’t I? Outlandish clothes, the gorgeous bad boy lover, sex in the back of a car, sneaking around and doing all the things I was never allowed to do._

 

Light smiled at L when he felt an arm around his waist, turning to the camera just as Wedy took the picture. He looked down at the picture when she brought it over, thinking a little wistfully that it was the only picture of them together ( _well, with their clothes on)_ and the first photo in quite a while where his own smile hadn’t been fake or forced. Quietly, “I _would_ like to have that picture, if that’s ok? We look really happy.” _Because I actually feel it, let myself feel it._

 

“I said a _smile_ , Ryuzaki, not a leer,” Wedy said with a laugh. With an understanding look to Light, she nodded. “I’ll send it to Ryuzaki when I get back, then.” 

 

L smiled at that, and privately decided that would be one photo he was going to _keep_ on his phone, even after he’d sent it to Light as well. Thank goodness for encryption, not that he figured anyone would be interested in a couple emo 'kids'. _It will be nice when we don’t have to worry about hiding what we do anymore, when we don’t have to pretend not to be together in certain situations._

 

“You both _do_ look very happy here. But I think this is where I leave you to finish getting ready.” Wedy cast a pointed glance down at L’s bare feet, and he giggled, gaze sliding over to the boots sitting prominently on the couch. Sticking out her hand to Light again, she squeezed his hand and stage whispered, “I’ve never seen him this happy, so I expect you to continue to _make_ him happy.” 

 

Wedy’s little request and Light’s subsequent response made his heart clench, and for a moment, L clutched Light tighter, suddenly fully understanding what he’d had been talking about. L had known that Wedy and Aiber saw him like a little brother, had known it for years, but hearing it like _this_ , and seeing their protectiveness on display in a way so _different_ from Watari’s… well. It made the difference much more stark, and it made him happy to know that not _all_ of his decisions were bad ones.

 

Light took Wedy’s hand, smiling at her whispered words, “He makes me happy too. I’ll do my best to keep it up.” 

 

Wedy pressed a kiss to Light’s cheek and turned to L, giving him a stern look before grinning and saying, “And _don’t_ jump him before you both have to leave, I doubt you have the time. I hope you’ll bring me on again soon, Ryuzaki, I’d like to be able to spend a little more time with the both of you without too many time constraints.”

 

“You just want to tease me some more,” L murmured, rolling his eyes, face flushing again.

 

“I do!” Wedy laughed and leaned in to kiss his cheek as well. 

 

Watching her and L interact was amusing but Light was getting anxious to leave now, and he knew he’d see her again quite soon at Kira HQ. “We’ll have a chance to talk more once I join the team this week. In fact, there’s something I want to talk to you about then, both you and Aiber.” Adding hastily, “And I look forward to teasing Ryuzaki more with you.”

 

L smiled a bit, only dimly paying attention to Wedy and Light as his thoughts flashing back to the situation with Beyond. _I can’t do anything about it tonight, I don’t have the time, but tomorrow…  I don’t need the whole weekend to decide after all. I’m bringing him to Japan as soon as possible. But I’ll need Wedy’s help to set me up a safe room for Beyond, away from Watari’s prying eyes. I’ll talk to her about that tomorrow, before I make the call to LA. And… I’ll tell Light after the concert. After we get back here._

 

Light gave Wedy a wink as she headed to the door, pulling L closer. “Thank you for bringing the safe, since Ryuzaki was too _preoccupied_ to thank you properly. I’m sure we can figure it out.” Light thought it would be a real shame if she and Aiber weren’t on board to help them, but some intuition told him they probably would be. Beyond just their usefulness, it would be nice to be able to be honest with someone regarding their Kira plans, to have some friendly faces they could trust. 

 

Blinking, L shook his head, blushing and saying hastily, “Yes, thank you so much, Wedy! I appreciate everything.” He cast a sheepish glance to her, smiling.

 

Smiling between them, Wedy paused only to glance back at them and say, “Have fun at your concert tonight - and if you need any advice on the safe, _do_ give me a call.” She waved, disappearing down the hallway.

 

Light turned back to L after she’d left, smiling thoughtfully, “I really like her. You did a good thing saving her and Aiber from prison. They obviously care about you a lot. I really hope we can….convince them.”

 

L turned to Light and said with a sheepish laugh, “Sorry, I got lost in my thoughts. She and Aiber are… I’m glad I gave them a second chance, too. They have my back, I’m _positive_ now that they will join us without much convincing.”

 

Light motioned to L’s shoes on the couch, wondering now if Wedy had seen the collar right beside them. “Ok, better finish getting dressed.” _She didn’t even bat an eye at the bruises on L’s neck. Guess she’s familiar with the wounds of love, or just thinks it’s none of her business._ “I’ll set up the safe and put our things inside, if you’re done with your laptop?”

 

L’s gaze drifted back over to the accessories on the couch, and he smiled again. “Yeah… That sounds good. I’m done with the laptop, and almost done with everything else, I’ll be ready when you get back out. If you promise _you’ll_ be the one to put the collar back on me.” The smile on his face turned a little wicked, and L leaned up to press a brief kiss to Light’s lips, not wanting to linger too much while they were on a schedule.

 

Light hummed at the mention of the collar, purring seductively, “Oh you _know_ I’m happy to put that back on you anytime.” He leaned forward to capture L’s lips, gently biting his bottom lip as they separated. 

 

It seemed to L that Light had no such compunctions about making their kiss brief, but even though L’s breath caught at the way Light lightly bit him, he still managed to pull away and breathlessly flop down on the couch. _Oh geez, I’m not going to be able to behave myself even on the train ride, am I? Especially if he keeps kissing me like that._  

 

Light smirked and swept up the laptop under his arm and took the safe into bedroom, going to his knees in front of the closet. He set the laptop aside and opened the case that the safe was in, taking the unobtrusive-looking black box out and pushing it to the back of the closet. The front of the safe was curious, just a sleek black panel, but Light had seen these before. He placed his palm flat against the panel and counted to 5, hearing a soft beep of recognition. _That must have set it._ The door to the safe popped open and he put the laptop, the Death Note, and all their various toys into the safe. Light paused a moment as he held the plug in his hand, a wicked equivocation popping to mind about making L wear it to the concert tonight. _Hmmm. Extremely tempting._ He decided against it though, thinking it would probably get better use _after_ the concert when they were back here, and put it in the safe with the rest before closing the device. 

 

L watched Light go into the bedroom before pulling the boots into his lap and unclipping a chain from each boot to clip onto the collar, grinning to himself as he admired the effect. _There, now my whole outfit will kind of match. I wonder how it’ll look._

 

“Hey Ryuk, you around?” L called as he tugged the boots on, doing up the zippers and rearranging the remaining chains. “We’re heading out shortly.” Standing up, it took him a moment to adjust to his heightened center of gravity, and then he went to grab his coat, snickering to himself as he realized that these boots would probably boost him up taller than Light for the night. _Oh, that’s funny. I wonder how he’ll react to that._

 

Light arranged their backpacks in front of the safe to cover it up a little and then headed back into the living room. “Alright, everything scandalous or incriminating is secreted away--” He stopped short as he caught sight of L, a smile spreading across his face. “You grew!” He giggled and walked slowly around L, nodding in approval. “It’s going to take me some time to get used to looking _up_ at you, but the boots are great, fits your outfit perfectly.” He did say a silent wish that L wouldn’t stomp on his feet by accident in those though. 

 

L had already shrugged into his coat when he heard Light’s cute little exclamation of ‘You grew!’ and he turned around to grin at the teen. Not that _he_ was much more mature (and oftentimes he was _less_ mature), but it was times like this when Light really showed that he was still a teenager, and it was utterly charming. “Thank you, Light. It’s going to be strange to be the one looking down,” he murmured, patting the coat pockets to make sure he had everything; wallet, phone, lube, keycard, check, check and _double_ check. 

 

Light looked around for the collar, picking it up from the couch and turning it in his hand. “Hmmm, I like the improvements.” He fixed L with a devious stare as he affixed the collar around L’s neck, “Are these to give me something else to grab onto? Or just _purely_ aesthetic?” He snapped the padlock shut with a click, letting his fingers linger across the leather for a moment. “Now that you’re so tall, I’ll have to yank it every time I want to kiss you to get you to bend down.” Light giggled and yanked it now, pulling L’s lips against his and pressing him to the wall behind. 

 

A happy laugh bubbled out of L’s mouth when Light put the collar on him, and the way Light’s fingers skimmed across the leather and his skin drew a soft huffing pant from him before he whispered, “They’re sturdy enough to be functional, but be careful of the-” A low moan left him when Light spoke and pressed him into the wall behind him, kissing him soundly. 

 

“AHEM!!” Ryuk’s attempt at being polite and subtle was anything but that. “Uhhh, I said ‘ahem’?!” He hovered close to the bowl of apples on the kitchen counter, grumbling about people calling for him and then having the bad manners to make out instead and ignore him when he came. “Can’t ya do that once we _get_ there? I wanna gooooo.” 

 

L’s hands closed around Light’s waist, and he tugged Light forward against his body, unable to help himself until he heard Ryuk’s voice loudly scolding them.

 

Light laughed against L’s lips, releasing the chain as he pulled away. “Sorry Ryuk, we’re about to leave.” He reached back and took an apple, tossing it to the shinigami. “But first I have a favor, now that you _are_ here.” When Ryuk rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, Light gave him a look. “Stop being a brat. I can’t handle more than one.” He opened the refrigerator and took out a handful of mini-bottles, pulling Ryuk’s wing open and stuffing them inside.

 

“H-hey!!! Hyukkk! Them’s cold!!” Ryuk made a dramatic show of shivering and stomping his feet but didn’t shake the bottles free, and they clinked pleasantly in his feathers. “Whadda I look like, your own personal cooler?!”

 

Still dazed from the kiss, L found himself laughing loudly when Ryuk protested about being turned into an invisible minibar. “What are you bringing? Just alcohol? We getting sodas to make mixed drinks?” A beat passed, and then he turned to Light with a laugh, “Hey! Are you saying I’m too much brat to handle?”

 

Light took another apple and jammed it inside Ryuk’s mouth to shut him up. “You told me shinigami don’t feel cold!” He knew that Ryuk was just giving him a hard time, and was trying desperately not to laugh. “Now be a good sport so L and I don’t have to suffer the indignity of nasty overpriced drinks.”

 

L’s fingers closed around Light’s and he tugged him towards the door once it seemed like Light was done stuffing bottles into Ryuk’s wings. Laughing, he said, “Sorry, Ryuk, I didn’t realize Light was going to kiss me like that. Stop teasing me, Light... at least wait until we're on the train.”

 

Light shrugged on his own coat, giving L a smile over his shoulder, “We can get regular drinks at the show and just...improve them with our own stash.”

 

Muttering, “Y’mean MY stash.” Ryuk stuck his tongue out at Light, pointing a claw down at the apples. “Uh, Lawli, maybe some of these can fit in _your_ jacket since I know His Highness ain’t gonna do it.”

 

L just rolled his eyes playfully at their banter and grabbed three of the apples. “Hmm. His _Highness_? What’s that about?” Two of them went into his free pocket, and the third one, after careful deliberation, went into one of the coat’s breast pockets. “Okay, this just looks stupid, you might as well take this one now, Ryuk.”

  
Light swiped at the shinigami, who just cackled and zoomed behind L. “Well, I _might_ have, but no, you’re right, I don’t want to look lumpy if you aren’t even going to appreciate the fashion sacrifice.” He tossed his hair (which didn’t move given the amount of hairspray in it) and went to open the door and peek into the hall. _No one’s there._ Back to Ryuk, “Remember don’t get huffy if we don’t talk to you, you know the drill.” He held out a hand to L, “Ready to go? It’s just a short walk to Tocho-Mae station and we can take the Oedo line all the way to the stop outside the Tokyo Dome, Kasuga.” It would only be about a 30 min trip, walking included, so they should arrive a few minutes before everything would start.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Ghost posted her rendition of L's Cleopatra makeup [here](https://ghostoftasslehoff.tumblr.com/post/186322399821/well-dont-you-look-like-a-million-bucks-wedy). 😏
> 
> And if you'd like to see the inspiration for BOTH outfits, check out [this](https://ghostoftasslehoff.tumblr.com/post/186322851166/these-are-the-general-outfits-light-and-l-are) post.


	40. The King of Kabukicho

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Light and L go to the Man With A Mission concert at the Tokyo Dome, bringing Ryuk along. They run into a couple unexpected people but don’t let it ruin their fun.

L pulled an apple out of his pocket and tossed it towards Ryuk, taking Light’s hand as they made their way towards the elevator. “So, how many concerts have you been to? At the Dome or otherwise.” 

 

Light shrugged as they walked down the hall, “A few, but it’s only been the past couple of years that my parents would let me go to any. Thought it would interfere with my studying.” He gave L a pointed look, smiling, “And a lot of concerts are 18 and over. I’ve only been an adult for… well, let’s not think about that.”

 

L glanced up at the numbers at the top of the elevator door, watching as they went down, and turned to give Light a quick kiss, smiling at him. “Why do you like teasing me so much about that?” he asked in a soft voice.

 

“Because you’re a dirty old man and I’ll never let you forget it.” Light giggled, poking L in the side playfully.

 

“I’m not _that_ old!” L protested, pouting playfully and swatting at Light’s hand. The elevator dinged, and he grinned. “Ready to scare the hotel guests coming in for the evening?” The doors opened to a small group of guests, and L just laughed as he realized that it was the same group of businessmen they had run into in the elevator outside the restaurant the night before. _I wonder if they recognize us_ , he thought wryly to himself.

 

Light stifled a snicker as they entered the elevator, brief flickers of recognition and shock ghosting across the faces of the hapless businessman. But he just grinned at L, slipping an arm around him and pointedly ignoring their stares. That was easy enough to do since Ryuk’s hulking form took up the rest of the elevator; seems he’d decided to haunt them all the way to the stadium. 

 

It was a beautiful clear night when they exited the hotel, and Light took L’s hand as he got his bearings. “Ok, Tocho-Mae station is a few blocks north of here.” He elbowed L in the ribs as they hurried that way, “Hope you’re paying attention so you can find your way around without me, now that HQ is moving _here_ and all.” Past it being just a nicer location, it would be much easier for Light to get to the Park Hyatt from school or home; Midtown would have been a real trek and now he understood why his father had rarely been home the past few months.

 

L laughed softly at Light’s teasing, his _own_ voice amused as he said, “I _am_ paying attention! Besides, I didn’t have time to memorize the map today, you know.” _I really am going to need to quickly memorize the area map if I ever want to move around the city on my own, or even with Light. Why didn’t I spend any time today doing that?_ “We were busy.” _Yes, ‘busy’. Sampling sweets, getting off, moving the task force to the Hyatt, and tarting up. All COMPLETELY valid reasons to not memorize where everything is so I can move around easily._ As Light tugged him in the right direction, he smiled, shaking his head at himself. “I’m going to bow to your superior knowledge, then, I’m still not really sure where I’m supposed to go yet.” 

 

The train was packed on a Saturday night, but Light pushed forward through the crowd to the train platform after they’d bought their tickets. “Looks like the next train arrives in just a couple minutes. Good timing.” He turned to L, still getting used to looking _up_ , “Thanks again for agreeing to come with me.” 

 

L followed Light to the front of the platform, smiling down at him and saying softly, “I wouldn’t call it ‘agreeing to come with’, I love going to shows. But I’m glad you invited me.” 

 

Light whispered quieter, “I swear I’m going to convince Ryuk to snag us one of the band’s wolf masks as a souvenir.” The thought made him giggle, but his attention was quickly redirected to the approaching train, which looked full even _before_ all the people waiting to board. “Uh oh, looks like we’ll have to be squashed together.” He smirked at L, giving him a look up and down his body, “What a _shame._ ”

 

Hearing Light’s plans to get a ‘souvenir’ just made L laugh, but before he could say anything, the train pulled in. “Hmm… you’re right, it _does_ look pretty full,” he said thoughtfully, bringing his fingers up to worry at his bottom lip, sending a sidelong glance to Light _just_ in time to catch the way the teen was looking him up and down. Smirking, L glanced down, shifting so that the front of his coat gaped open a little more to show off the scandalous outfit. “Make sure to hold on tight, I wouldn’t want to get separated from you in the crush,” L murmured, stepping even closer to Light now and squeezing his hand as he waited for the train to come to a full stop. He snorted, grateful that they would be some of the first people to board, the doors opening in front of them. _Not into the idea of other people squashing me, but as long as I’ve got Light to hang onto, I’ll be okay._

 

Light took a deep breath as the door opened, pulling L into the train car and up against him in the corner. At least here there wouldn’t be people on _most_ of their sides, although with public transit in Tokyo you couldn’t escape a crowd. He giggled as he was jostled tighter against L, and took the opportunity to stroke the exposed skin of L’s stomach since no one was looking anyway. 

 

L had _mostly_ been kidding about not wanting to get separated, but not completely, and he was supremely grateful when Light tugged him into one of the corners... and he was a little surprised that Light had absolutely _not_ been kidding about being squashed together. His gaze darted around as he silently cursed himself for not asking Light ahead of time what the subway system was like, breathing already coming a bit rapidly when he felt Light’s fingers stroking along his stomach, and he sucked in a loud breath as his eyes snapped forward to smile tentatively down at the teen. 

 

Light leaned in closer, teasing his lips against L’s jaw, “Quick trip, 20 minutes. Although I’m appreciating that limousine quite a bit more now. You aren’t claustrophobic are you?” 

 

That drew another shuddering breath from L and he slid his hands inside Light’s jacket and against his back, murmuring to him over the din, “I’m not _claustrophobic_ , I just... I don’t... I don’t like strangers touching me unless I’m seeking it out in some way.” _Like with you, that first night was only okay because I really wanted to be with you. Concerts are a little different, but even there..._ “I won’t be spending all _night_ in the crowd tonight, but I’m better about it at concerts. I’ll be fine.”

 

The train started to move rapidly through the underground tunnels, making Light sway and catch himself against L’s body a couple times. But time passed quickly and the train came to a stop at Kasuga stations. Light smiled at L, but sighed as he eyed the crowd between them and the door, “This is it. Probably going to have to shove to get off of here.” He took a deep breath and tried to be as polite as possible, but resorted to just maneuvering people out of their way.

 

L found himself relaxing slightly as the train ride went on, though probably a big part of that had to do with the way Light touched him every time the sway of the train knocked the teen against him. 

 

“Finally!” Light stumbled onto the platform, grabbing L’s hand and taking some deep breaths of fresh(er) air. He could already hear the boom of music from the stadium across the street, and patted his hair to make sure nothing was crushed or mussed on the train. “Must be the opening band, we better hurry!”

 

  
L was grateful to finally get off the train, patting his coat pockets frantically to make sure he still had everything (he did) and pulling his phone out to pull up the email as Light tugged him across the street. “Crap, I meant for us to leave a little earlier,” L lamented. He always liked seeing the opening bands, he’d found quite a few interesting artists that way, but if they missed some of the set... it couldn’t be helped. Thankfully, there wasn’t much of a line anymore, and it only took a minute for them to get their tickets scanned and make their way into the stadium.

 

“We’re _here_ ,” L breathed, starting to grin as he stuffed his phone back in his pocket, squeezing Light’s hand excitedly. 

 

It felt good to be inside, and the open-air stadium was teeming with other young people dressed just as outrageously (or even moreso) than they were. At this point the only looks they were getting were appreciative ones from other concert-goers, and the energy in the place was palpable. White laser lights cut through the darkness, and artificial smoke billowed from off the high stage at the other end of the stadium. The floor was standing-room only and at this point people were mostly milling around and taking in the opening acts. Man With a Mission hadn’t come on yet so they hadn’t really missed anything. Light was nearly giddy as he looked around, grinning as he scanned where they might watch the show. “Holy shit! This is definitely the biggest concert I’ve been to. I’ve seen them in the smaller venues but this is something else!” 

 

“I haven’t been to _many_ stadium concerts,” L started, beaming as he looked around, taking in the other concert goers and scoping out where the merch tables were, as well as the bathrooms and concessions. He could feel the good energy of the venue, everyone already seemed to be having fun, and though the main act wouldn’t be on for a little while yet, he always enjoyed the pounding of the music in the air. “-but I can already tell this is going to be _right_ up there with the MCR show I went to in 2011. That’s one of my favourite shows I’ve ever _been_ to.”

 

“I hope it lives up to your expectations. The music could suck for all I care, I’m mainly here for the _company_.” Light gave L a wry smile when he mentioned the MCR concert, refraining from mentioning that he would have been 11 years old then. It _was_ a band he liked quite a lot though, so it was a shame he would have been too young to have appreciated it. 

 

“Oh please,” L laughed, giving Light a sidelong smirk. “I know you like the main act, the music definitely does _not_ suck. But thanks, I’ll take the compliment.” He knew Light was just being playful, and it was sweet to hear. “Wanna get a drink first? Where did-” Glancing around for Ryuk, his grin broke out full force when the shinigami flapped cackling down beside them.

 

Light nodded, taking a step back as Ryuk zoomed through people and landed in front of them. He grinned at Ryuk, whistling “Cheers” by Rihanna and giggling when Ryuk rustled his wings and a couple mini-bottles fell into Light’s hands. He quickly slipped them into L’s jacket pockets, taking his hand and giving it a squeeze. 

 

Ryuk looked just as excited as they did, and his belt was already adorned with clip-on charms of little wolf heads and guitars that he’d swiped from the merch table. “Ooooo it’s loud, ain’t it! And a little bit temptin’ to be around all these unsuspectin’ people, maybe I should write a few--” He grimaced at the look Light shot him, breaking into a chuckle instead. “Eh, guess that would be a killjoy. Don’t worry, I’ll just take some, uh, notes for later.” With that, he zoomed back above the crowd, darting in and around the lasers and blowing through the smoke clouds with no one the wiser.

 

Ryuk’s ‘killjoy’ comment pulled a stuttering giggle from L, and he shot a smirk at Light. _Does Ryuk know MCR fans were calling themselves Killjoys for a while, or is that a coincidence?_ He had noticed those charms on Ryuk’s belt, and as he didn’t expect the shinigami to share... he knew _exactly_ what he was going to be getting when he made his way to the merch table. They’d fit in nicely with the skulls already dangling from the chains on his collar. But now that he was looking at Light, he wasn’t really paying attention to Ryuk to notice when the shinigami flew off, _much_ more interested in the way Light’s lips were shimmering when the light happened to catch them.

 

“Come on, let’s go get those drinks.” Light leaned up and pressed a quick kiss to L’s lips, pulling him in the direction of the concessions bar. Luckily the line wasn’t too long. “I’m just going to get...a cherry soda. Just a small one.” He didn’t want to have a huge drink on his hands once they wanted to dance.

 

“Sounds good,” L said breathlessly, heart pounding with that brief kiss. “Cherry soda, huh? I think I know what _I’m_ getting, too.” Stepping forward, he ordered two (a small, and a medium, he was _thirsty_ , dammit!), and paid, turning to Light and tilting his head towards the back so they could have a little privacy to spike their drinks. “I don’t know about you, Light, but I _need_ some of those charms Ryuk had.” He trailed off, leaning back against one of the walls, smiling at Light before asking in a sweet tone, “Could you grab one of the bottles back out of my pocket, please? You probably have a better hand for that than I will.” _And I fully expect you’re going to make my drink stronger,_ he thought to himself, trying not to smile _too_ widely, lest he clue Light in that he was expecting it.

 

Light reached into L’s jacket, looking askance to make sure no one from security was watching them, and quickly dumped the contents of the minibottles into their drinks. He grinned as he added a _tad_ more vodka to L’s, rationalizing that L had gotten a bigger soda after all. _Hope he didn’t notice that, but he probably did. Oh well._ “Alright, and now we’ve saved about 3000 yen.” He sidled over to the trash and dumped the empty bottles with a relieved sigh, taking his cup from L and stirring the straw around. “Don’t forget to mix it up or you’ll get a mouth full of...well, just mix it.” He took a sip, humming in approval. “Yum.” _Yeah, that’ll get us there. And Ryuk has plenty more if we need them._

 

When Light tugged the bottles from his jacket, L deliberately looked away, peering towards where he’d seen the merch tables. Only when Light commented about their ‘savings’ did L look back, laughing. “You realize those probably cost more than whatever we would have paid for alcohol _here_ , right?” Of course, the alcohol they had brought was probably a _thousand_ times better than whatever they were serving here, but still. Stirring his drink, L took a sip, eyeing Light again. “Okay, I like this, what did you put in it?” _And how much more did you put in mine?_

 

Light raised an eyebrow at L’s snarky comment about the booze, pausing mid-sip. Drily, “You might have had a point if it didn’t say complimentary on the bottles. A few ounces of _vodka_ isn’t exactly Dom Perignon, given what you’re paying for the room. But I get that money means very little to you.” 

 

 _Oops._ L almost opened his mouth to defend his mistake with the booze, but refrained. _I had no way of knowing that, but I probably deserved that comeback._

 

Light motioned to the merch tables a little further ahead. “You know cute things like charms always sell out fast. If you want some of the ones _our friend_ got, better head over there and snag them now.” The alternative was to have Ryuk swipe a few more for them, but then the shinigami probably wouldn’t want to give them up and L could pay anyway. He scanned the crowd as they walked over to the tables, wondering if Shinji was here yet. Light hadn’t seen him but he hoped he’d pop up eventually so he could introduce him to L. _Have to remember to call him Ryuzaki._

 

Hearing that, L straightened up quickly, eyes widening. “Wait, how fast do they usually sell out?! I’m grabbing some _now_.” Without waiting for Light to follow suit, L picked up his pace towards the merch tables, quickly scanning them when he got there to find the Man With A Mission table and studying what else they had. _Shit, there’s some REALLY cool stuff here that I don’t want to carry around in my coat pockets all night._

 

Light leaned up off the wall, “What the---” L seemed so sassy ever since they’d left the hotel room that Light was wondering what had gotten into him or if this was just baseline L. His attempt to be sweet about the company had fallen flat, L had snarked at him about the booze, and now L was running off without him? He called, “Ryuzaki, can you just _wait_ a second?” But L just kept hurrying along until his black hair was nearly lost in the crowd between them. Ok, _now_ Light was low-key irritated. He rolled his eyes and sauntered over behind L who was peering down at the Man With a Mission merchandise, smiling deviously to himself before giving L’s rear a good slap. _Act bratty and get what’s coming to brats._

 

L glanced at the other bands’ merch, noting that one of them was selling bags. “Oh… that’ll work,” he murmured to himself, jumping in surprise when he felt a slap on his ass, and he quickly turned to see who had done it, only to see Light standing there giving him a _look_. “What?” L asked, a blush starting to spread across his face. _What did I do?_

 

Light gave L a slightly annoyed look when L turned around in surprise, but it melted quickly at the blush on the man’s cheeks. He slid a hand under L’s coat to stroke against his skin and whispered into his ear, “Can you give me a head’s up before you run off, hmm? Else I’ll have to affix a leash to that collar.” 

 

L blinked at Light and found himself grinning sheepishly at that whispered question, eyes dropping and a slow shiver running through him when Light’s hand pressed into his bare side and slid around his waist. _Shit, Light. I wouldn’t actually say NO to a leash…_ Bringing his arm around Light, he whispered back, “Sorry… I didn’t want to miss out. I didn’t mean to run off without you.” He pressed a quick kiss to Light’s cheek, laughing a little as he went back to studying the merch. Softly, “Is there anything _you_ want? It’s on me.”

 

The vendor came over, a young man with a tablet, and he asked, “Made a decision yet, kids?”

 

“We haven’t completely decided yet,” L replied with a low snicker, looking up at the man and nodding to him. “Though, I know for a _fact_ I would like one of those bags-” He pointed down to the other end, and when the vendor nodded, L smiled, gesturing to the two different styles of charms in front of him on the table. “- and two each of these charms, if you could put them aside while we decide if we’d like anything else? _Please?_ ”

 

Light looked up at the vendor, pointing blithely to a black band tee, “That t-shirt in a medium please. I think I have everything else I want other than those charms.” He pointed L’s attention to a will-call sign. “We can just pick up whatever we buy after the show, they’ll hold it for us.” He paused with an expectant look on his face as if waiting for some snappy retort from L.

 

 _Do I want a shirt?_ L shifted his gaze to follow Light’s gesture and smiled, taking another drink before nodding his thanks to him. The vendor gave him an expectant look, gaze sliding off towards someone else who was approaching the tables, and L said quickly, “I’ll just take the hoodie as well, then, medium, please.”

 

“That’s everything?” the man asked, raising his voice as the volume rose again. L nodded, and the man rang everything in on the tablet before handing it to him. “Yen? Credit?”

 

“Credit,” L said, laughing, and put in his information, making sure to tap the ‘will call’ option. For a moment, he hesitated to put his number down, but it would only be a one time thing, and he had already been thinking of getting a new phone for himself anyway. He would probably get a new phone number, too, and keep his current phone active, just so Watari didn’t get suspicious. _I might have to up my timetable on that, but I’ll wait until I’ve gotten everything set up tomorrow to do it. Maybe Monday._ Only after he’d swiped his card did he hand the tablet back to the vendor, thanking him and turning away with his drink in hand and his other hand wrapped around Light’s, only to blink in surprise when he recognized someone and hurriedly tug Light away from the tables, making his way towards the crowd. _No way._

 

“Matsuda is _here_ ,” L hissed in Light’s ear,  pretending he hadn’t seen the other man. With any luck, he hadn’t been recognized. _What is he doing here?_ “We might want to stay in the middle of the crowd for much of the show after all,” he added with a laugh, avoiding the parts of the crowd where people were dancing for the moment. _I’m probably going to need more booze to relax now._ He took a big gulp of his ‘soda’, and smiled at Light, letting go of his hand and holding the plastic cup between his teeth before shimmying out of his jacket and tying it low around his waist, knotting the sleeves.

 

Light glanced up in surprise when L mentioned Matsuda was here, looking around before spotting the back of the man’s head. “Shit!” He was alone, walking slowly down the merchandise aisles and poking nearly everything with a finger, which was drawing the ire of the vendors since he wasn’t _buying_ anything. Light turned his back quickly, whispering to L, “I haven’t seen him in months and I doubt he’d recognize me like this. Do you think he’d know you?” He’d only met the young detective a couple of times and even then it was just in passing when he’d helped his father with a few cases in the past. Given that they _would_ be seeing each other as early as tomorrow though, Light wasn’t in a hurry to bump into Matsuda and have him telling tales to his father. He swallowed and took L’s arm, trying to put some distance between them and Matsuda before--

 

“Hey! Ryu--” Matsuda’s cheery if somewhat confused voice called after them from the tables, and it was getting closer. “--zaki?”

 

L cursed softly through gritted teeth, taking his cup in one hand and whispering in Light’s ear, “How the hell did he recognize me?!” _Matsuda, you idiot, why are you here?_

 

Light froze, caught between a giggle and a grimace as he met L’s eyes. A whisper, “Uh oh.” How did L want to play this? Pretend they didn’t know him and try to slip away or just face the music? It certainly wasn’t a _crime_ to get dressed up and go to a concert, and what in the hell was Matsuda doing here anyway? Maybe the easiest thing to do would just say a quick hello and not have to spend the rest of the night looking over their shoulders.

 

Before they could make a decision one way or another, Matsuda was right in their faces, beaming brightly and dressed as if he was going golfing versus going dancing. “Ryuzaki! It IS you!” He tilted his head, taking in how both L and Light were dressed with a modest blush. “I….uh, wasn’t sure from the back, but uh…” He was shuffling and stammering, eyes widening as he glanced over the makeup...and the collar...and Ryuzaki’s ‘friend.’ 

 

Sighing when Matsuda got in their way, L turned his head slightly to greet the rookie with a sullen expression on his face, eyes flicking over him from head to toe before settling on his face. _Even my normal outfit would have been less out of place than what he’s wearing, did he come here straight from HQ?_ “Matsui-san,” he murmured, lips quirking up in amusement at the way Matsuda was staring at them. Thankfully, he didn’t seem to recognize Light, because he hadn’t made any attempt to greet him familiarly yet. “I… didn’t expect to see you here. Should I expect to see the others as well, or did you come on your own?” _PLEASE let him be the only one here tonight, I don’t want to get any more insolence than I already get from Aizawa…_  

 

Light turned his face into his drink, pretending to be very interested in it as he sipped so he wouldn’t giggle. Listening to L’s overly dry tone was hilarious though, everything about his body language screaming ‘go away and leave us alone.’ _I better keep my mouth shut because Matsuda might recognize my voice if I don’t._

 

“I didn’t expect to see you either, what a funny coincidence!” Matsuda laughed nervously, gesturing up to the right side of the stage. “I came with Mogi-san, he’s working security for the band tonight.” He waved dramatically at a stoic, stocky man in all black with mirrored sunglasses who was deliberately trying not to look at Matsuda. His shoulders sagged a tiny bit at the non-response and he turned back to L. “I _tried_ to get Aizawa-san to come too but he said..” Matsuda cleared his throat, affecting a stern voice, “‘That’s silly Matsuda, plus don’t you know loud concerts cause hearing loss.’”

 

L couldn’t help but just stare at Matsuda the entire time the man was prattling on, except when the rookie pointed Mogi out to him. _Mogi’s working security for bands? Since when?!_ Taking a sip of his drink, he shared a look with Light and carefully extricated his arm from the teen’s grasp to take his hand instead, not entirely _trying_ to draw attention to it, but more giving it up as a lost cause. “Ahh, I see… Are you a fan of one of the bands?” _Well, at least Aizawa isn’t here._

 

Light sputtered briefly into his soda, squeezing L’s hand beneath the fabric of their coats and saving face but just slurping loudly. _Don’t say anything, don’t say anything and maybe he’ll get the hint and go away._

 

Matsuda kept rambling though, “I’ve never seen this band before. Aizawa says they’re overrated garbage but I hope that’s not true! I just bought a cool hat and it would be a shame if they were bad!” He pulled out a knit beanie with ‘MWAM’ stitched on the front and held it up proudly. “Oh, who’s your friend, Ryuzaki?”

 

Light gave L a look, gritting his teeth with the effort of holding his tongue. _Overrated garbage?!_ He slurped EXTRA loudly, counting back from 20 as his temper was about to overpower his good sense.

 

L frowned as he turned back to Matsuda. He didn’t really think anything of Aizawa’s insult until he felt Light’s hand gripping his a little tighter, and he looked over to see Light gritting his teeth with the obvious effort to not lose his temper. _Shit._ “Aizawa doesn’t know what he’s talking about when it comes to what music is good or bad, it’s subjective. And you should make up your _own_ mind if you like them, Matsuda-san,” L said coolly, rubbing his thumb soothingly against the back of Light’s hand. He smiled slightly at Light before adding, “And, uhhh…” _Shit, I can’t say Asahi, because I was going to suggest he share the name with his father._ “... _Hideki-san_ and I were hoping to find a good spot in the crowd before the main act comes on.” _Or at least a good spot where you won’t follow, that we can sneak off somewhere when we need to…_

 

L looked back at Matsuda and tilted his head. “I expect I’ll still see you at work tomorrow, yes?” He was _highly_ tempted to actually deliver some scathing insult about Aizawa, but Matsuda was… highly impressionable, and likely to repeat it back if he thought it was funny. And besides, if Aizawa was going to be pissed at _anyone_ for one of L’s insults, he would rather be the one to get the blame, because at least then he would have been amusing himself instead of annoyed at Matsuda for stealing his lines. He squeezed Light’s hand again, edging more towards him as he turned away, hoping that Matsuda would get the hint. _Thank you for trying to stay quiet, Light, that will make things a little easier tomorrow._  

 

Matsuda looked a little deflated that he wasn’t going to be invited to enjoy the concert with them, but pulled his beanie on his head with a look of resignation. “Alright, I’ll see you at work tomorrow. You two enjoy the show.” He turned to Light, extending his hand in both introduction and goodbye, “Sorry we didn’t get a chance to meet properly Hideki-san, I’m Matsuda Touta. Have a good time!” Matsuda waved and started towards the beer line, finally leaving the two of them alone in the ever-thickening crowd.

 

Light broke into a wide grin when Matsuda was at a safe distance, burying his face in L’s neck as he started to giggle. Quietly, “I’d forgotten what an... _earnest_ guy he is. Well-meaning if a little dense.” In truth, he was pretty surprised that Matsuda was the type of detective that L had chosen to bring on. _Was L that hard-up for help? Or maybe he came along with my father as a package deal. Matsuda is a hard worker, according to Dad._ Light was relieved though, particularly as the back of Matsuda’s beanie-clad head faded away completely into the crowd. His eyes flicked back up to the stage, “And one of your people works _security_ for Man with a Mission? Cool job, but I didn’t think they’d have the time.” 

 

L watched him leave, feeling a flicker of guilt for blowing the man off like that, but then Light was giggling into his neck, and his attention was drawn to the teen’s words, and the pleasant feeling of vibration against his neck. “Yeah… I didn’t know Mogi worked security for bands, either. I wonder when this started?” _He certainly didn’t say anything to ME about it… I wonder if Watari knows he’s splitting his time between here and the task force?_ “I’m a little surprised he’s as efficient as he is if he’s doing this on the side. I wonder…”

 

The opening band had wrapped their last song and were waving and exiting amid cheers as the set change started. Light grinned, feeling ready to dance to all the songs he knew so well and couldn’t wait for L to hear live. “Looks like they’re coming on in a few minutes. Did you want to stay down here or go up in the stands?” Both had their perks; they were less likely to get trampled and jostled in the stands but they’d be further from the band too. Light looked down at his half-empty drink, thinking it could use another good dose of vodka before the show started. He had a decent buzz but wanted to be half-drunk before the show.

 

Light’s question caught him off guard, and L looked down at him, grinning now as he slung his arms around Light’s shoulders, letting his free hand dangle down and press against the teen’s back. He leaned in to press a kiss to Light’s nose and murmured, “Do _you_ have a preference?” L leaned in a little closer, bringing his cup up and taking a large swallow, grimacing slightly at the aftertaste of alcohol in the cherry soda. At least he was starting to get a pleasant, loose buzz going, though, that made up for the taste. 

 

Light ignored the crowd for now, smiling when his nose was kissed and lazily tracing his fingers up and down L’s back. His gaze flicked from L’s red lips to his bright eyes, “Well, it would be nice to be close when the band comes out. They usually make quite an entrance. Once we get sick of being crunched we can make a retreat.” 

 

From the sounds of the mic check happening on stage, the headliner would come out any minute. The lights in the stadium dimmed dramatically, letting the stars above them shine more clearly. Light looked towards the stage, unconsciously pulling L towards the front. “Does that sound ok?” He turned back to L, finishing off the last of his soda and chucking it into the trash. Light was pleasantly warm and buzzed, now recalling he hadn’t eaten any dinner before coming here and the alcohol was affecting him more now. _Maybe I don’t need that extra vodka right now after all._  

 

The buildup of energy from the crowd was like a living thing, and this had always been one of L’s favourite parts about going to shows, whether he was on the fringes, or in the thick of things. The feeling running through the crowd had the same feel to it as the MCR show, and perhaps it was because of _that_ that he let Light pull him towards the front of the stage with no protests.  Or maybe it was just because the alcohol was starting to go to his head, a snicker escaping him as he took another large swallow, idly wondering to himself why he was bothering to try and keep up with Light to finish his drink when he’d gotten the bigger soda.

 

“If I decide I want to make out with you in the crowd, will it be more awkward to do it in the stands, or in the middle of a sea of other people?” L whispered into Light’s ear, giggling as he licked at his earlobe, free hand slipping lower and stroking against the vinyl along Light’s back.

 

Light shivered as L licked his earlobe, eyes hooding as he wished he could have more of that mouth on him whether they were in public or not. He purred, “Honestly, no one’s going to care what we do. Case in point…” He pushed his fingers further down L’s back and into his tight jeans, teasing at the waistband a moment before reaching in to grab him briefly. “Plus, don’t you want to dance with me? Harder to do in the bleachers.” The crowd got extremely quiet and then exploded with noise as the lights on stage went out completely, shadowed figures filing onto the stage in anticipation of the full stage effects coming on with the first song.

 

“What do you mean, no-one’s going to- _ohhhh_ ,” L asked, eyes going wide when Light shoved his hand down his pants, lips parting in surprise and a heavy lidded expression of want crossing his face. He tugged Light against him, whispering in Light’s ear during the quiet moment, “You’re a bloody _tease_ ,” and kissing him in the dark as the crowd went into a frenzy around them.

 

Light leaned hard into the kiss, grabbing L’s ass for just another moment before the deafening roar of the crowd tore him away. 

 

L pulled away in a daze, turning his eyes to the stage so he didn’t miss the big entrance. After all, he had been looking forward to this for the better part of the week, and now that it was _here_ , he was _excited_. Maybe he was just imagining it, but there seemed to be a lull in the noise for a split second before the lights and music rose into existence, and the crowd went _insane_. L couldn’t help but laugh when he realized it was… Dead End In Tokyo. _How fitting,_ he thought with a grin. “ _Yes,_ I fucking _love_ this song!” he crowed, wriggling happily against Light and draping his arms around the teen again. His lips dragged against Light’s neck as he added with an excited giggle, “And I _definitely_ want to dance with you, Light.”

 

Light’s eyes lit up as he heard the first notes blaring through the stadium, and he tried to yell over it to L, “YES! I love it too!” He hadn’t heard this one or any of their newer songs since he’d seen them about a year ago, so some of this he’d be experiencing for the first time with L. He grinned as L pressed against him, singing along with the excited crowd, “...staring out his window sipping Dom Perignon, because he feels like the king of Kabukicho…” He giggled at the feeling of L’s lips against his neck, the memory of sipping champagne with L (and L sipping it off of _him_ ) being brought to mind. “Fuck I love this band, it feels like every song is about us.” He guessed that was how every fan felt about songs they loved but still, he was having the time of his life already bouncing against L on one side and everyone else on the others. Plus it was adorable to see L so happy and excited, and Light thought, _music really brings him to life._

 

Hearing Light singing along made L grin, and he had to laugh at the commentary. “Yeah, that Dom Perignon line always makes me think of last Friday,” he murmured, knowing there was only a small chance Light would have heard him. It was okay if he hadn’t, they _were_ here to enjoy the band, not talk through the songs. 

 

Light caught sight of Ryuk actually perched above the stage, dangling upside down like a giant bat but thankfully not interfering with the musicians. He laughed, pointing him out to L, “If he ruins the show I’m going to find some way to write _his_ name.” But Light knew he wouldn’t, Ryuk was enjoying the whole spectacle just as much as they were. 

 

L snorted and waved to the shinigami, knowing that no-one would bother to question it - it probably just looked like he was trying to wave to the band. “Lucky, _he_ gets to be right there.”

 

Light  leaned over and took a sip of L’s drink, smiling up through his hair at the theft. “Just helping you along a little.” Light wrapped his arms around L’s middle and drew him close, pulling him in front so they could both watch the stage. The energy was so intoxicating, he didn’t want the song to end. _I don’t want this night, this weekend to end._

 

Another giggle left L as Light stole some of his drink, and he leaned down slightly to kiss the teen again, licking at his lips teasingly before pulling away with an innocent expression on his face. An expression that quickly melted away to something soft and surprised, happy, when he felt Light’s arms around him, tugging him closer. The teen’s chin was resting on his shoulder, and even though Light couldn’t see his face, he knew he must be blushing something fierce as he brought his drink up for another sip, swaying with Light in time to the music. “Love you,” he said with a grin, tilting his head back as he offered the straw to Light again. _Why are concerts so magical? Anyone who doesn’t like going to them is missing OUT._  

 

Light closed his eyes and smiled into L’s neck at the words, _love you_ , mouthing against his skin _I love you too_ since the music was now so loud. He took the proffered straw between his lips and drank, shifting to suck L’s earlobe into his still-icy mouth. 

 

 _Oh shit, Light_ , L found himself thinking when he felt Light’s lips moving against his skin. It felt like he was saying something, and it brought a smile to his face when he realized what it must have been. The music cut out for a moment and then exploded in a chaotic drum beat, pulling a fierce grin from L as he turned his head to press another kiss to Light’s ear, saying as softly as he could, “This is _definitely_ a song that fits us, yeah?” _Especially that chorus._

  
The beats seemed to reverberate through his whole body, making Light want to dance, to move against L. _Really it makes me want to throw him to the ground and ravage him, crowd be damned, but dancing is the next best thing._ His hands were at L’s hips, hooking into his belt loops and pulling his ass close against Light’s body. His own pants were feeling tighter but everyone around them was just as drunk and high on the music as they were; they weren’t anyone special here, just another face in the crowd. _Little do they know._  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you’d like to ‘listen along’, here is the MWAM set list: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCwfnTE6QHnQxxxurN_cwnqBSdIm5hYwm


	41. I Belong To You, You Belong To Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Light and L run into someone else at the concert, then manage to sneak away to somewhere more private.

The music was sweeping everyone up in a frenzy, and L was having the time of his life, especially with the way Light was pressing against him, dancing and _touching_. There were a couple of times he wanted to turn around in Light’s arms and just get _scandalous_ , but he refrained until they were done with his drink, content instead to tease the teen by pressing back against him as they danced.

 

Light paused with a soft laugh as the song ended and shifted to ‘Evil Falls,’ another of his favorites, the wild electric guitar riffs electrifying him too. _But I belong to you, you belong to me._ He danced behind L, feeling the adrenaline rush as the setlist went on and enjoying seeing L having a blast. After a few songs, the band took a moment to do some shots on stage and switch up their instruments, interacting with the crowd in the lull. Light released L and moved beside him, raising his voice as he grinned, “Are you having a good time?” It was a rhetorical question really, it was written plainly on L’s face that he was. 

 

The volume dropped dramatically when the band took their break to interact with the crowd, and L laughed, draining the last of the soda and turning to Light. “The _best_ ,” he declared, leaning in with the intent of kissing Light, only to catch Light as someone jostled him from behind. “What-”

 

Light felt someone jostle into him hard and frowned, whipping around and ready to let some poor fool have it. But instead, it was just Shinji behind him, dressed in neon paint-splattered ripped jeans and a worn black t-shirt that said ‘Fuck You Yeah You.’ “Shinji! You asshole!” Light laughed hard as Shinji pushed into him again on purpose, pushing him back. 

 

Shinji cackled as he almost tripped, catching himself against a random girl before vaguely apologizing and turning back to them. “Light! Wondered if you were still coming tonight! I’m drunk as hellllllll!” He pulled out a flask from his pocket that he’d somehow snuck in, thrusting it at Light. “You look too sober man! The stupid test is over and so is my future!! So I gotta get wasted tonight! WOOOOO!”

 

L watched with amusement as the two teens shoved at each other, unable to stop himself from grinning. _Dorks._ _So that’s Shinji, huh?_ He rolled his eyes slightly at the drunk teen’s antics, eyes sliding to Light and widening in surprise. 

 

Light laughed hard, taking the flask and sniffing it before taking a tentative sip. “What the hell Shinji! This is awful!” He gave L a look like, ‘sorry, yes my friend is actually this big of an idiot.’ “By the way, this is Ryuzaki. Ryuzaki, meet my dumbass friend Shinji.” Light waved between them, closing the flask and tossing it back to Shinji. 

 

L smiled at the teenager, raising a hand in greeting before saying, “Hey man, nice to meet you.” He paused for a moment before blurting out impulsively, “I really like your shirt.”

 

“Good to meet ya!” Shinji grinned and made a flourishing bow to ‘Ryuzaki’, pausing when he was bent over and grabbing his knees. “Oh shit...felt like I was gonna yak there for a sec.” He stood back up, looking down at his shirt as if reminding himself what he was wearing. “Oh yeahhhh, this IS a good one! I think I made this one myself.” 

 

 _Uh oh_. L nearly reached out to Shinji to try and steady him, but he seemed fine after a moment, and L found himself laughing. “You made it? Nice.” He paused, an image flashing through his mind of doing something like that to one of his _own_ shirts and he started _cackling_ as he thought of the looks on the faces of the officers. Or the look on _Watari’s_ face. _Priceless. Oh man, they’d probably want to smother me._

 

L shook his head and pointed to the flask, “How did you get _that_ through security?” If it were _him,_ he probably would have tried to hide it in his boots, gaze sliding down to look at Shinji’s footwear briefly. 

 

Shinji nodded proudly then waggled the flask. “It’s plastic. Just jammed this bad boy down my pants and walked on in.”

 

Light snorted, “Yeah, cause absolutely _no one’s_ going anywhere near your pants. They don’t pay security enough to check in there.” He giggled at the look of fake outrage on Shinji’s face then held up his hands like ‘kidding kidding.’ 

 

L laughed at that. _I certainly wouldn’t have been able to pull that off._ “Dude, I would’ve just stuffed it in my boot,” he said, once he’d gotten himself somewhat under control, leaning on Light for a moment as he pressed a hand to his stomach, muscles aching from laughing so hard.

 

Light glanced around, not noticing any of their other friends here. “You here alone?”

 

Shinji’s bright demeanor dimmed a little as he kicked the ground in front of them. “Eh, I guess. Was supposed to be a date but she ditched me for some other dude. Oh well, I’m gonna have a blast anyway!”

 

L’s laughter died at hearing about Shinji’s ‘date’, and L looked at Light with a grimace. “What a jerk,” he mumbled to Light.

 

Light suddenly got an idea and turned to L, “Hey too bad we can’t send him Matsuda’s way. He’s here by himself too.” Although maybe Matsuda wouldn’t like hanging out with a drunk teenager who was prone to colorful speech and the occasional ‘yak,’ given the detective was a supposedly respectable adult. _Not that they seem too different in maturity levels, to be honest._

 

Shinji was too busy air-guitaring to pay any attention to him but he stopped abruptly, eyes going wide. “Ok, I really am gonna yak. Uhhh…” He looked around for the bathrooms, spotting them to the side of the stadium. “Catch you guys later!!” With that, he dashed off into the crowd, either ignoring or not hearing Light calling after him about the perils of cheap peppermint schnapps. 

 

 _Send him to Matsuda?_ L frantically shook his head at Light’s suggestion. “That’s not-” he started to say, cutting himself off and staring open-mouthed as Shinji ran off to the bathrooms. 

 

Light turned back to embrace L, shaking his head in amusement. “So yeah...that’s Shinji. I promise he’s actually ok, just gets a little...excitable sometimes.” He pressed a kiss to L’s lips, lingering a moment as he tasted cherry soda. The band was screaming into the crowd again to ramp them up, starting the opening of ‘Hey Now.’ 

 

“I hope he feels better after?” L said tentatively, giggling a little when Light embraced him. The way Light was kissing him was _very_ distracting, and he smiled into the kiss, wrapping his arms snugly around Light’s waist, unable to help the soft sound of eager enjoyment that left him when he felt Light grinding against him to the opening strains of _my favorite song, oh my god, did he do this on purpose? SHIT._

 

Light murmured against L’s lips as he ground their bodies together, “I’m glad you’re having fun,” but it was probably lost in the escalating noise. He preferred having L face to face now and took the opportunity to kiss him deeper as they moved.

 

L missed what Light said as the volume rose, only grinning as he leaned in again to meet the teen’s mouth, licking into his mouth as he slid his hands down to grab Light’s ass and tug him firmly against him. At this point, he really didn’t care if they _were_ making a scene, it was dark and the music was pounding through him, Light’s hands on his body felt _amazing,_ and he felt like he was floating high on adrenaline and alcohol and sex. _God, I want you so bad._

 

Light smiled into the kiss when he felt L grab and pull him forward, wondering just how much longer he could wait before dragging L off somewhere. _I wonder if we can sneak under the bleachers somehow, or under the drape of the merch table if no one’s looking. Damn._ The thought made him throb in his pants and he ground his hips into L’s, one hand wandering up to grip the chain at L’s neck and pull him deeper into the kiss. He was panting when he finally broke it, and gazed up into L’s eyes, lust plainly written on his face. There was no point in speaking and he didn’t think he needed to. _I’m sure ‘I want to fuck’ is written right across my face._

 

L could _feel_ how much Light wanted to sneak away, could feel it in everything he was doing, and he was panting as _well_ when Light broke the kiss, staring at the teen in a horny daze. That look on Light’s face made him smile slowly, licking his lips as his gaze dropped briefly to Light’s mouth.

 

Light smirked and looked to either side, pointing out their options with his eyes. Mouthing, ‘bleachers’...then ‘bathroom.’ A devious smile as he waited a beat, then looked right at the draped merch tables that were currently unmanned. Light didn’t really care which way L wanted to go and they’d hear the music either way (although probably less clearly in the bathroom, and the thought of bumping into Shinji gave him some pause). He pulled away slightly from L, licking his lips and waiting. _Which will it be?_

 

L followed Light’s gaze, trying to decide which would be best, but every option seemed to have its drawbacks. As much as the thought sent a thrill through him… _we’ll probably get caught if he fucks me right under those tables, and I really don’t want to get kicked out._ He glanced at the bleachers again, licking his lips and frowning slightly, because they _definitely_ wouldn’t be getting any video if they did _that_ (though he was rating that as less and less of a priority now that they were actually _in_ the moment), and the bathrooms…

 

Leaning in, L pressed his lips to Light’s neck, reaching up to clasp the other side in one hand before biting down on the teen’s earlobe and speaking in a lust roughened voice, “Maybe we can find a bathroom that isn’t in use, seems the most _ideal_ option.” And if not… “Either that, or bleachers.” He would _gladly_ let Light pull him under the bleachers and fuck him senseless in the shadows, with the music pounding through them. _Shit_ , but that sounded almost as hot as the idea of filming themselves, and he pulled back to grin at Light, throbbing with the effort it took to not just go to his knees right here and start undoing Light’s pants.

 

Light groaned softly at the feeling of L’s mouth on his neck, barely able to keep from fisting the man’s hair to hold it there. He breathed raggedly as he listened to L’s suggestion, squirming when he felt teeth biting down. He whispered, “ _Fuck…_ ” between clenched teeth, snapping his fingers while still clinging to L.

 

Ryuk phased close to them from the stage, standing half-in, half-out of several people crowded close to them. “Ah man, you two should see the view I’ve---uhhhhh….” The shinigami trailed off as he saw Light and L enmeshed and _definitely_ not interested in talking about the view.

 

“Ryuk,” Light hissed at the shinigami, pulling both of the apples from L’s jacket and holding one out temptingly. “We need to know if there’s some bathroom that’s closed up, not in use.” He held up the other apple, just out of reach. “ _Then_ I want you to unlock it and let us in. Will you do it?”

 

L glanced aside to the shinigami when he phased over to them, and smiled a little as he listened to the first half of what Light was asking Ryuk to do. He hadn’t thought to ask the shinigami. _Lust, or alcohol?_ he wondered idly, turning his attention back to kissing Light’s neck, nuzzling against his jaw as his fingers busily played up and down the mesh covering Light’s stomach. 

 

Ryuk was salivating at the bright red fruit in front of him, not thinking too hard (or even caring) _why_ they wanted such a thing. “Eh, sure. Gimme that. Down-payment.” He held out a clawed hand expectantly.

 

Light looked around furtively; just because they were in a crowd didn’t mean _no one_ would see an apple disappear. “I’m going to drop it and then you take it with you. _Don’t_ eat it here, got it?” When the shinigami nodded eagerly, Light dropped the apple, turning away as Ryuk scooped it up and shot off to survey the stadium with his shinigami eyes. Turning back to L, Light gave him a little smirk, letting his hand trail down the front of L’s tight jeans. 

 

Ryuk’s demand of a ‘down payment’ made L chuckle, and he cast a heavy-lidded gaze back towards the shinigami before Light dropped the apple. Thankfully, Ryuk left them alone for the moment, and he took that opportunity to try and kiss Light again, only stopped by the way Light’s fingers skimmed down over his trapped erection. _Shit_ , he thought, lips parting and eyes fluttering nearly shut as an aroused groan left him, his own fingers closing tightly against the back of Light’s neck.

 

“Fingers crossed he finds--” But Ryuk was back before Light could even finish his sentence.

 

“Southeast corner there’s a locked door, looks like a security bathroom but nobody’s usin’ it. I unlocked it already. That do?” Ryuk hovered above the heads of the concert-goers this time, eyes fixed on the second apple in Light’s hand. 

 

“That’ll do.” Light grinned at L, grabbing his hand and letting the apple fall to the ground behind them as he hurriedly pushed through the crowd towards the bathroom. He had one thing and one thing only on his mind, and didn’t mind shoving a little to get it.

 

“ _Fuck_ ,” L whispered, panting heavily and grateful when Light tugged him along behind him in his haste. Seeing Light get so _aggressive_ (maybe not overly so, but _still_ ) was hot as hell, and he couldn’t help but laugh breathlessly, smirking smugly on his way past to anyone who gave them an irritated look. He scanned the area once they emerged from the crowd, trying to find the room Ryuk might have been talking about, and there was an almost unobtrusive little corridor that read ‘security personnel only’ on a small sign that he pointed out to Light. “I think that might be it,” he said over the music. _Fuck, that BETTER be it_ , he thought impatiently. But it was in the right direction, and - he glanced around to make sure no-one was paying _too_ much attention to them - it was easy enough to confirm that it _was_ , indeed, the right hallway when he saw the symbol on the door at the end of the short hall. 

 

Light made a beeline for the side corridor, shouldering through the thinning crowd until they found themselves alone in the dim hall. There was a velvet rope barrier that he quickly ducked around, pulling L along quickly before anyone could see them. Relieved, “Oh this must be it, look there’s the bathroom.” He shot L a lascivious grin and yanked him towards the marked bathroom, opening the door in a hurry. The heavy door snapped shut behind them and Light didn’t have a chance to say or do _anything_ before L had launched himself at him, not that Light minded in the slightest _._

 

L let out a whooshing sigh of relief, tugging the teen close again as he stepped in, kissing him fiercely as he let the door close behind him, fumbling awkwardly for the light switch.

 

Light hummed into the kiss, grasping L’s arms and turning him bodily to press him to the tiled wall in the dark. They could still hear the thrumming bass of the music outside but it was duller here, he was mostly caught up in the pounding of his own heartbeat as he thrust his tongue hungrily into L’s mouth. It had been _too damn long_ since he’d been inside L, even though logically it had been less than a day, it felt like an eternity. 

 

The way Light pressed him into the wall took L’s breath away, a needy, muffled whine leaving him when his arms were pinned. But then Light was shoving his tongue into his mouth, and L tilted his head down into the kiss, reaching out anyway to run his fingers down Light’s sides as he sucked on the teen’s tongue, writhing against him in the dark. 

 

Light forced himself to pull away, panting hard as he whispered, “Let me lock the door so we aren’t interrupted.” 

 

“Fuck, _Light_ , I need you,” L moaned, unintentionally leaning forward to try and follow Light’s mouth.

 

Light pulled his phone from his back pocket, shoving it into L’s hands. “Let’s get this recorded for later. I don’t want to forget fucking you at a concert.” _Not that there’s any chance I would, but I want all our sex on video now._ Light leaned up off L and moved to lock the door, turning on the light too which thankfully wasn’t very bright. _Bright enough to capture this though._

 

Blinking, L closed his fingers around the phone in his hand, glancing down in the dark as he slumped back against the wall and pressed the home button and quickly keyed in the password, his breathing quickening at the thought of recording this. He couldn’t see much with the dim light from Light’s phone, but even as he opened up the camera app, he could dimly see where the counter was, and he made his way over, switching to video mode and blinking when the lights suddenly turned on. “That makes things easier,” he murmured to himself, hurrying over now to set up the phone, pressing record when he saw that it had a decent view of the room.

 

Light whipped back around, popping the button on his leather pants as he advanced on L. His erection sprung free right away and he breathed a little sigh of relief not to be constrained anymore. “I’ve been hard the past twenty minutes _at least._ ” Kissing L’s neck, his teeth bit against the collar as he whispered, “Please tell me you brought lube.” At this point, he’d have just fucked L raw again his _need_ was so stabbing. But before that, he _really_ wanted to see L’s lipsticked mouth around his cock.

 

Backing away, L grinned fiercely as he looked into the mirror to see Light turning back to him, undoing those sinful leather pants as he made his way towards him. L quickly turned around and moved back to him, meeting him halfway and moaning when Light immediately kissed his neck.

 

“ _Shit_ , Light.” L panted, hands going immediately to the heavy fabric knotted at his waist, undoing it and retrieving the lube from his pocket before letting his coat pool to the floor around his feet. “I wanted you so bad, I almost went to my knees to get at _this_ in the middle of the crowd,” he murmured, reaching out and stroking his fingers teasingly along Light’s throbbing length, now demonstrating that very thing as he stared hungrily at the erection bobbing in front of his face, mouth practically watering. L looked back up into Light’s face, smiling brightly before opening his mouth and licking a teasing stripe from tip to base, letting the head rub against his chin and throat. 

 

Light sighed and melted against L as he felt long fingers stroking him, and he throbbed in L’s hand at the thought of him going to his knees in front of _everyone. I really do have an exhibitionist kink, don’t I?_ He breathed, “You wouldn’t have even gotten me into your mouth before I ca-aaahhh _fuck!_ ” Light broke off into soft cursing as L’s pink tongue darted between ruby-painted lips to lick and tease him, the illusion of danger and the transgression of where they were and what they were doing only heightening his anticipation and pleasure. 

 

L chuckled softly at Light’s reaction, taking him in hand and wrapping his lips around the head, swirling his tongue teasingly around the tip and over the slit until he had Light panting for more.

 

Light leaned one hand against the tile, holding back from thrusting or _taking_ anything, “ _Goddamn_ I love it when you tease me.” _And I love to see you on your knees for me._ He grinned down at L for a moment, his mouth falling open into a moan at the sensation of L’s warm wet tongue swirling around him. He couldn’t stop his hips from leaning forward, wanting to press himself inside so badly but also enjoying what L was doing. 

 

He fixed L in a sultry stare as he watched each lick, speaking low, “I’m going to fuck you so damn hard against this wall. Have you missed feeling me inside you?” He leaned forward again, rubbing his cock across L’s red lips which made _quite_ the sexy image. “Oh shit...you need to wear lipstick more often…” He was panting hard now, a dribble of precum pulsing from his cock as he thought about lipstick smeared messily across L’s face, all over his cock and body from where L’s mouth had been.

 

L hadn’t watched _much_ porn, truth be told, but he’d watched enough blowjob videos to _know_ the image he made with the lipstick on, and he let out a low laugh, letting Light’s cock slip from his mouth for a brief moment to rub his parted lips along the shaft, thoroughly enjoying the way Light was _throbbing_ in his hand, against his lips. “I’ve missed your cock in me _so much_ ,” he breathed, licking and kissing his way back up to the tip. He lapped up the precum, moaning as he closed his mouth around Light’s cock, sucking hard as he stared up at him, nodding emphatically to that suggestion, idly wondering how well the lipstick was going to stay with how much they had been kissing, and his current… _activity_.

 

Light’s fingers moved to grasp the chain and pull L’s head onto his cock, _making_ him take it deep once and moaning loudly before loosening his grip again and letting L guide the motion. He wanted to come inside L but he couldn’t resist enjoying L’s mouth either, now that he actually had it in front of him.

 

Another, harsher moan left L when Light yanked him forward to swallow his cock down, relaxing his throat immediately and pressing down further, hands moving to grip at Light’s hips, thumbs moving in circles on his skin as he hollowed his cheeks. He pulled nearly all the way off Light’s cock, sucking _hard_ as he did and relaxing his throat again as he took him in a little further this time. 

 

Light’s head fell back, his eyes closing as L took him deep, and he pulled the chain again as he whispered, “L…” The feeling of nails scratching against his skin and the strong suction was nearly enough to make him come after how much he’d been _thinking_ about this, but he managed to hold back with a strangled whimper as he throbbed in L’s mouth. _So fucking close. Calm down…._

 

Again, L pulled off, sucking hard and scratching his nails against Light’s stomach and hips, pressing back down one more time, lips meeting the base as he stared up at him, hollowing his cheeks and swallowing around him until he felt the telltale throbbing that said Light was _close_. With a devious grin, made more obscene by the way it was stretched around Light’s cock, L pulled off completely, lapping at the head before asking in an affected innocent tone, “Shall I finish you off with my mouth, or do you think you can last long enough to get me off when you _fuck_ me?”

 

Light took a few deep breaths and tilted his head back down to look at L grinning up at him like he _knew_ how tantalizingly close Light was, making him bite his lip and shake his head. “Oh you brat....” But he knew that L was just working him up to get fucked _hard_ , and Light was more than happy to oblige him. 

 

His hand released the chain and grabbed the collar itself, hauling L up by the neck and nearly slamming him against the wall. Light pinned him there, leaning with his elbow against his chest. He leaned in to kiss L savagely while his free hand yanked open his jeans and shoved them down L’s thin legs, taking a moment to palm his erection and stroke it lightly. _I’ll tease you right back, although you probably like it as much as I do._

 

L couldn’t help the pleased grin that spread across his face when Light called him a _brat_ , and he was just opening his mouth to respond when Light hauled him up and pinned him against the wall, knocking the breath from him from the sheer ferocity. _Oh yes PLEASE_ , he thought, sucking in a shocked, aroused breath before Light was kissing and biting at his mouth. _Oh shit, oh SHIT._  

 

Light’s mouth slid from L’s, down his neck to lap and suck at the bruises peeking above the collar and probably making them worse. “Do you _really_ have any doubt I can get you off, L?” 

 

L’s hands came up of their own volition to clutch at Light’s hair and neck, an agonized moan leaving him when Light began sucking at his neck. “No, Light, I _know_ you can,” he whimpered, writhing in Light’s grip.

 

Light bit into the soft skin of L’s neck as he stroked a few more times, finally pulling back to flip L around against the tile wall. Taking the lube, he slicked the fingers of one hand and traced them between L’s cheeks, kicking L’s legs apart before circling his entrance teasingly. His other hand was still gripping the collar and pressing L’s neck to the wall, and he whispered in L’s ear, “We can be as loud as we want in here…” 

 

When Light flipped him around, shoving his neck against the wall, L had to press his palms to the wall to help hold himself up - he was more than a _little_ breathless with this arousing display of aggression, plus, the way Light had him positioned would either be pressing his cheek perpetually into the wall, or have his head tilted up as the teen prepared him, neither of which were overly comfortable (but _both_ of which were obscenely hot). Squeezing his eyes shut, L let his head fall back as he breathed shallowly, waiting until Light kicked his legs apart to _really_ begin pressing his hips back against the teen in earnest.

 

One of Light’s fingers slipped inside L’s body and he hummed at how _tight_ L was after even just a single day of not getting fucked. “...no one’s going to hear over the music.” Another finger met the first and Light hooked them down to press against L’s prostate, moving and twisting in and out to open him wider. “Are you ready to get fucked like a slut in this bathroom? I want to hear you say how much you want my cock.” 

 

A loud whine left L when that first finger breached him. “ _Fuck_ , Light,” he gasped, unable to stop himself from arching his back and impaling himself on Light’s fingers. “ _Yes_ , _fuck_ , I want your cock in me _so fucking bad!_ ” he moaned out unselfconsciously.

 

The way L was writhing against the wall, trying to impale himself harder, faster on Light’s fingers was making Light’s heart hammer with desire. He groaned low against L’s neck when the man voiced his own need so _emphatically_ , thrusting his fingers and scissoring. He finger-fucked L fast and then slowed down to barely moving, then sped up again, banging right where Light knew it would feel fantastic.

 

L’s breathing hitched in disappointment when Light’s fingers slowed in their thrusting, and he glanced back at him with a frown before jerking in pleasure and surprise, eyes glazing over a little as he needily pushed himself back on Light’s fingers again with a startlingly loud moan. That was the spot _right there_ , and L nearly sobbed with the pleasure as he stared fiercely back at the teen now. “Have I been a good enough _slut_ for you to fuck me?” he asked in a low voice, voice hitching when Light hooked his fingers like _that_. Panting, he moaned, “Pull my hair and fuck me like you _mean it_ , Kira!”

 

“Oh yes, you’ve been an _excellent_ slut.” _And Kira’s going to pound you into this wall._ Light twisted his fingers just a moment more before pulling them out and lining his rock-hard cock up at L’s entrance, making a mental note of where L’s prostate was in this position as he slicked them both, intent on trying to hit it right away. He pressed the tip of his cock into L, removing his hand from L’s neck and spreading him wider with a thumb so he could watch it slide in. _Oh shit…._ He moaned with the tight heat of L’s body, grabbing L’s hair like he’d demanded _Kira_ do and widening his stance to thrust _hard_ into L. His fingers clenched tighter, not caring if he was ruining L’s hairstyle as he bent the man’s neck back and to the side to meet his hungry mouth.

 

L could tell _just_ from the way Light yanked his head back that his hair was going to be mussed to hell and back, and it would probably be obvious to anyone paying even the _slightest_ attention what they had gotten up to... _And I don’t care at all,_ he thought, his harsh whine cut off when Light practically _devoured_ his mouth. _And after all that talk of ‘we can be as loud as we want’, he silences me when I’m moaning for him,_ L thought, thrusting his tongue into Light’s mouth, eyes slitted nearly closed in pleasure at the hard pace Light was setting. 

 

Light built up a fast, deep rhythm right away, unable to start slow after L’s teasing blowjob. He _needed_ the intense friction even though he was in sweet agony holding back his orgasm. Wrenching his mouth away from L’s, he groaned as he slammed their bodies together and then paused to rotate his hips slowly to keep from shooting. 

 

A sob escaped L when the kiss was broken, his body shuddering when Light pressed up against him and stilled, and the momentary reprieve from the stimulation let L catch his breath a little, his head falling forward as he panted, trying to keep his own orgasm at bay. The way they’d been dancing earlier hadn’t _only_ gotten Light horny, after all. 

 

“You feel _so_ fucking good, L…” Light shuddered against L’s back and sped up his pace again, “Like your body was made for me.” His free hand was caressing, scratching up and down L’s chest beneath the short top he was wearing, moving lower to grasp his cock and starting to stroke him in time with Light’s thrusts. _He’s so hard._

 

“Maybe our bodies were made for each _other,_ ” L groaned in a hush when Light picked up the pace again, reaching up blindly to stroke his fingers against Light’s cheek and down his neck in response to the fingers caressing and scratching against his chest. “Oh _fuck_ , Light, you’ve got me-” Cutting himself off, L let out a loud ‘ahhhhh!’ of pleasure when Light’s fingers closed around him to _stroke_ , his cock jerking in the teen’s hand with the extra stimulation, clenching around Light. “ _Fuck!_ ” 

 

Light’s breath caught as he felt L clenching around him, squeezing him in that tight heat until his teeth were biting into the fabric of L’s shirt. He turned his face when he felt fingers tracing his cheek, licking and sucking on them as he teetered on the edge. He could feel L throbbing in his hand with each stroke, the slick friction only adding to the obscene noises echoing in the bathroom. Light licked up L’s neck and laughed low in his ear, “Can you tell how much I _mean_ it?”

 

L couldn’t help himself, rocking back into Light’s hips with each thrust now and moaning out, “ _Yes, Kira_ , you feel so _good_ , you’ve got me _so close!_ ” _I can definitely tell how much you mean it_ , L thought, looking back at Light with a pleading expression, lips parted in an effort to get enough air as he was pounded into the wall. " _Please_ let me come-” L’s plea was cut short by a moan as Light yanked his hair again, every twisting stroke, every little nip, every flick of that _wicked_ tongue over his fingers, _every word_ spoken directly into his ear sending a dizzying spike of desire and arousal through him until L felt nearly _delirious_ with the need to _just come_.

 

Light grinned around L’s fingers to hear how close L was, giving them a firm nip as he twisted his hand up and down L’s length. Every time L called him Kira he felt such a surge of delicious power, and when L _begged_ he knew he couldn’t wait any longer. Light yanked at L’s hair once more to bring his ear close to his lips, “Yes...come for Kira, come with _me_.” 

 

He released L’s hair and grabbed his hip instead, yanking it forward to maneuver L into a slightly bent position that meant Light would hit his prostate full-on. Light’s nails dug in hard as he felt his orgasm burning through him, his forehead dropping to L’s shoulder as he moaned his name and pulsed inside of him. He didn’t let up on his strokes as he pointed L’s cock at the wall, wanting to see what a _mess_ they’d make. 

 

L’s breathing hitched, and he obediently let Light manhandle him into a better position, absolutely _loving_ the way Light’s aggressiveness was carrying over as he banged right into his prostate. That pulled a full-on _howl_ from him as his pleasure reached a peak... and the feeling of nails digging into him and Light’s hot release shooting inside him toppled him over the edge, his body jerking and shuddering under Light as he came _hard._ For a moment, L couldn’t make sense of anything, riding high on pure adrenaline and dizzy sensation.

 

Light looked over at his phone as the last shivers of his orgasm shot down his spine, grinning with intense relief. _Yeah, that’s going to be a good one._  

 

Blinking as he slowly came down, L shook his head a little to clear his vision, giggling low as a full-body shudder rippled through him. “I, uh…” He trailed off, clearing his throat and sucking in a huge breath, fingers clenching against the tile as an aftershock shivered down his spine, and he leaned his forehead against the wall as he tried to catch his breath, which gave him an _excellent_ view of the mess he’d made on the wall. “Holy shit,” he breathed, giggling louder. “ _Light._ Look what you made me do.” He reached blindly up again, stroking against Light’s chin before shakily trying to straighten up. “I made a _huge_ mess.” The look on his face when he turned it back to Light’s was probably far more proud than he had any right to be, but he really didn’t care. _I wonder if he’s going to make me clean THAT up._

 

Light panted against L’s shoulder a moment as his vision cleared, giving it a kiss as he raised his head to listen to what L was saying. He giggled, peeking over L’s shoulder to take a look for himself. “What _I_ made you do?” He laughed harder as he watched L’s _mess_ sliding down the tile and not feeling particularly guilty about his role in it. “Well, get ready for another mess.” Light slowly pulled out, biting his lip and humming as he watched the cum follow. _I guess I should take responsibility for this one._ “Hold still a second.” He grabbed a handful of tissues that were above the sink, wiping his hand off and then cleaning L up as best he could. _He’s still going to smell like come. Oops._ That thought made him smirk as he tossed the tissues in the trash and went to wash his hands in the sink. 

 

“Oh yeah, _definitely_ your fault,” L said, his voice a low, satisfied purr, breath catching and pouting now as Light slid out. The wet feeling slithering down the backs of his legs made him squirm until Light cleaned him up, and he smiled, adding, “I _definitely_ wouldn’tve come so hard solo.” 

 

Light said over his shoulder, “Don’t worry, no way in hell I’d make you lick a public bathroom wall.” He dried his hands and got some more tissues, handing them to L with a raised eyebrow, then picked up his phone and stopped the recording. He buttoned his pants again before pocketing the phone.

 

L stayed where he was for another moment to catch his breath, giggling as he took the tissues, and eyed the ‘mess’. “Yeeeaaah, I guess I shouldn’t leave _this_ kind of mess for anyone else to clean up, huh?” L tugged the jeans up over his hips, zipping up perhaps _overly_ cautiously, and wiped up the come, nose wrinkling in amusement as he tossed the tissues in the trash. 

 

Light wanted at least one more kiss before they went back out to the show, and wrapped his arms around L to draw him close. “That was incredible. Best part of the night, and the whole night has been so much fun.”

 

“Thank goodness for Ryuk, I thought for sure you’d end up railing me under the bleachers.” Not that L would have complained in the slightest, and the happy smile he sent Light’s way said as much as the teen hugged him.

 

Light pressed his lips to L’s, kissing him gently now but there was still passion there. After a moment he pulled back, grinning at L’s mussed hair and trying to shape it back into a semblance of a style with some success. “Sorry I ruined it. Your fault for asking me I guess.” _Or partially your fault._

 

The gentle kiss sent a happy curl of warmth through L, and he couldn’t help but sigh into it, melting into Light’s arms. “Thank you for inviting me to the show tonight, Light,” he whispered, smile staying in place even when Light pulled away, and the way he was trying to ‘ _fix_ ’ L’s hair made him smile wider, glancing in the mirror to see how wrecked it actually _was_. A laugh burst out of him, and he declared, “Okay, _now_ I just look like Robert Smith.” 

 

“Robert Smith?” Light closed his eyes and wheezed softly because the comparison was apt. “I wouldn’t worry too much, it’s been a rowdy night for everyone and…” He tilted his head, smiling at the confused mass of locks, “...it looks kind of punk rock. Intentional bedhead. I’m going with that.” 

 

“So instead of a pretty emo kid, I look like punk rock Robert Smith, I like it,” L laughed, giving Light a smug little look before nuzzling into his neck. L reached up to grab Light’s hands, pressing kisses to them before stepping forward and kissing Light’s mouth again. “ _I’m_ not sorry, Light, that was amazing and _so hot_.” Another kiss, “ _So_ hot. And the night isn’t even _over_ yet. I love it when you pull my hair during sex.” Turning a little more towards the mirror, L took a deep breath and tugged Light against him a little more firmly, slipping one hand in Light’s back pocket and looking at the picture they made in the mirror. “We should get a picture while we’re still all... sex mussed. Your phone, or mine?”

 

Light turned to look in the mirror, sucking in an amused breath when he caught sight of both of their flushed states. Their makeup had smudged a little, his mascara leaving him with smokier eyes than he’d intended. Frowning, he sighed, “I guess I should use waterproof next time. Oh well.” 

 

“Do you still think I look beautiful, Light?” L murmured, smiling as he took in how Light looked. _You look perfect,_ he thought. “Also, you still look sexy as hell, waterproof whatever or not,” he added. 

 

“You know I always think you’re beautiful...even more so when you’re messy.” Light beamed at the praise, especially because Light did not appreciate having even a hair out of place in public. But he’d just have to grin and bear it, and who was he trying to impress other than L?

 

It was definitely worth a picture though, and he pulled his phone out and opened up the photo app. “Ok, post-fuck selfie….smile!” Light leaned close to L and snapped a picture, snapping another one as he turned to lick a long stripe up L’s cheek with a giggle.

 

L smiled towards the camera through his lashes for the first picture, only to scrunch up his nose with a laugh when Light licked his cheek. “Stoooooop,” he said playfully, wiggling away from Light and sticking his tongue out at him as he went to retrieve his jacket from the floor, knotting the arms around his waist again.

 

Light tried to put himself together a little in the mirror, but there was no point in fussing too much and he wanted to get back to the concert. Taking L’s hand, “You ready to catch the end of the show?” But a thought occurred to him and he snapped his fingers, “Almost forgot.”

 

L gave Light a blank look when he snapped his fingers, having been ready to say ‘of course’. 

 

Ryuk phased into the room hesitantly, peering through the wall for a second before coming all the way in. “Wasn’t sure what I’d find in here, hyuk hyuk. Need something _else?”_

 

Light gave L a sly smile, “Ryuk, I want you to sneak one of those wolf masks that the band is wearing, as a little souvenir.” He turned up the charm a little, sticking out his bottom lip in a pout. “Please Ryuk, I’m sure they have extras and it won’t be missed. We’ll shower you with apples when we get back to the room.”

 

Ryuk scratched his chin, giving Light a wary look. “Eh, ain’t it gonna be a little suspicious if a wolf head is floatin’ around the stadium?” He cackled, thinking of all the mischief he could get into with such a thing. 

 

Light’s request made L giggle, and Ryuk’s reaction made him laugh even harder, and finally he pointed out, “This is probably a bad idea, but what the hell, I guess.” 

 

Light poked Ryuk in the wing, “Uh uh, I know that laugh. Put it in your wings. _No_ terrorizing random people with that. Got it?”

 

Ryuk gave them both a shark-like grin, “‘Course, ‘course, heh heh. Better make good on those apples though.” He rustled his wings and let the last two mini-bottles fall out, “Take these then. Gotta make room.” Really he was just tired of their clinking and clanking and wanted to get rid of them.

 

Satisfied Ryuk would comply but not convinced he’d behave, Light nodded and picked up the bottles. “Don’t worry you’ll get them. Meet us back at the room later, after the show.” 

 

While L knew he was probably a little less inhibited than normal ( _or a lot, likely tipsy as hell_ ), he wasn’t so impaired that he didn’t get suspicious over Ryuk’s refusal to _promise_ not to misbehave. _He is absolutely going to have some fun with this, isn’t he?_ “Maybe wait until the end of the show, or at _least_ the last song to nick the mask, Ryuk?” L suggested with a giggle, shaking his head and threading his fingers through Light’s, squeezing his hand affectionately.

 

Light turned to L and slung an arm around him, “Ready to go? And maybe we can catch a cab home instead of that crowded train?” He slipped the bottles into L’s jacket pocket, figuring they might as well get a little tipsier before the night was done.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The wolf mask Ryuk steals looks like this: https://www.leedsfestival.com/live-blog/man-with-a-mission-review (no, they aren’t a furry band, it’s just their schtick) 
> 
> The MWAM setlist is here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCwfnTE6QHnQxxxurN_cwnqBSdIm5hYwm


	42. Our Duty to the Public

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> L and Light are riding the high of the concert, but don’t shirk their other duties to Kira’s mission.

L grinned when Light slipped the mini-bottles into his coat pocket. _Ah, good, I was just going to ask for those._ While Light finished outlining his plans for their departure, L reached in and tugged one of the bottles out, curious about what the teen had said before about them being free. Sure enough, right across the bottom of the bottle was a tiny script reading ‘complimentary’, and he found himself giggling again. _Well, I didn’t bother to look in the bar before we left, so…_ Stuffing it back in his pocket, L beamed at Light and squeezed his hand again, saying, “I’m ready. And a cab home sounds _much_ nicer than being crushed on a busy train.” He pushed open the door, waiting for Light to leave before turning off the light and following. “I hope you don’t mind if I opt to stay out of the middle of the crowd for the end of the show, though. I can sit in your lap, if that’s a suitable alternative.” The expression on Light’s face brought a laugh from him, and he followed Light out of the short hallway leading back to the concert, ducking under the rope and making his way towards the concession. “Ooh, we could try to get close to the stage and get Mogi’s attention, see if I can surprise a reaction out of him.” 

 

 

They enjoyed the rest of the show from the bleachers after briefly waving at (harassing) an amazed-looking Mogi from close to the stage, and Light pulled L into his lap while ignoring the knowing looks of everyone around them. He didn’t care, not if they made a scene, not about anything tonight. Light was having an amazing time and it was too soon when the band played their last song and then one encore (their cover of Nirvana’s ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’). He might have gotten _slightly_ lewd with L up in the bleachers, grabbing his crotch and kissing him, but they’d spiked yet another cherry soda and Light was feeling rather disinhibited and happily tipsy. At the end of the last song, they followed the crowd outside and hailed a cab to take them back to the Park Hyatt so they could avoid the crowded train. 

 

“I still can’t believe I _actually_ got a reaction out of Mogi, he is always the most deadpan, stoic person I’ve ever _met_ ,” L laughed as Light pulled him out of the venue, not caring in the slightest that his happy dancing over tiny amusements was causing other people to give him a wide berth, lest they get hit with a flailing limb. “The look on his _face_ … and then getting _handsy_ in the bleachers? OH, and they played Teen Spirit! Oh my _god_ , tonight has seriously been the _best._ ” By the time the two of them were cuddled in the backseat of the taxi, their bag of loot from the show dropped haphazardly on the seat beside L, he had lost _count_ of how many times he had said some iteration of ‘ _best night ever!_ ’

 

Light whispered in L’s ear when they were cozily snuggled in the backseat, “I want to write tonight, I feel a little antsy if I don’t.” He brushed L’s hair aside so he could nibble his neck, “Let me know if you have any...special requests.” Else he could just watch the news or check online, but he’d had a lot of fun when L had made his prior ‘suggestion.’

 

The way that Light was whispering in his ear was sending flutters of happiness, arousal and anticipation through him, and he slung his legs across Light’s lap, tilting his head to the side to let the teen do whatever he wanted. Laughing at Light’s comment, L leaned in to whisper (at least, he _hoped_ he was whispering), “I wouldn’t say no to sucking you _off_ while you write.” Their quickie in the bathroom had been practically _perfect_ , but he _definitely_ had been wanting to do that since Light suggested it a couple nights ago, and he had another little fantasy he wanted to indulge in before the end of the night. _That’ll require a fresh coat of lipstick, for sure,_ he thought, a wicked grin splitting his face at the way Light’s expression changed.

 

Light slid his hand up L’s leg, rubbing his thigh as he listened to L’s naughty suggestion. He turned to look at him with wide, approving eyes, “Oh shit…” He reached up to toy with L’s collar, playing with the chain as filthy mental images flooded his mind. Whispering back, “I wonder how long I could last? Writing names already gives me such a rush, and your mouth is a force of nature.” 

 

L grinned at that compliment, snorting slightly at the realization that the compliments he seemed to like best were usually the lewd ones. _Usually the ones revolving around my mouth. Hmm._ He squirmed happily at the way Light was rubbing at his thigh, silently willing those fingers to drift higher; they were already rubbing _dangerously_ close to his dick again, and he would absolutely _not_ turn down the opportunity to get felt up in the back of the cab, but Light seemed to have other plans. He shot Light an amused pout when the teen instead reached up to play with the chain. 

 

Light grinned and laughed quietly into L’s neck, pausing in annoyance when the cab driver asked him some question about directions to the hotel. _Really? The Park Hyatt is one of the most well known hotels in Tokyo._ He gave L an apologetic look and leaned forward to give the cabbie turn-by-turn directions until they were stopped under the overhang of the hotel. He waited for L to pay and got out of the cab, feeling slightly dizzy and more than a little drunk as he looped an arm around L’s waist. 

 

L pouted even _harder_ at the cabbies’ interference. Oh well, it was no matter, he could always… He giggled to himself, trying to be nonchalant and not-obvious about working his fingers down the back of Light’s tight pants to stroke and tease him as he gave the cabbie directions, giving Light an innocent look when he smirked over at him. Seemingly too soon, they were in front of the hotel, and L shoved some yen towards the man, waving him away when he tried to give him back the change.

 

The hotel lobby was thankfully dead at the hour they got back, well after midnight, and Light was glad to avoid the curious stares of patrons. He whispered low, “I think the staff are used to our antics by now. They aren’t even looking up.” Perhaps it was that in their short stay here, it was obvious that L would be a good and lucrative customer. _Maybe the hotel had gotten explicit directions to be discreet. Would explain the flowers and the relatively low fuss about the ‘replacement’ bed._

 

Laughing again, L let Light loop his arm around him, content to lean on him as well as they made their way in. “Home sweet Hyatt,” L declared in response to Light’s giggling, not bothering to be very quiet. He pecked a kiss to Light’s cheek before they got on the elevator, and tried to follow the teen’s lead in behaving, merely whispering in his ear, “I don’t think most of the staff really will care about us one way or another as long as I keep spending _money_ , y’know?”

 

Light huffed quietly as they had to behave in the elevator since it was occupied with a wedding party, but as soon as they were back in the suite, Light pulled L into a kiss. Laughing against L’s lips, “I’m drunk. Not even tipsy or a little buzzed. Straight-up _drunk._ ” Giggling louder, “Thank you complimentary vodka! I hope they give us some more.” 

 

L stumbled forward with the way Light pulled him into a kiss, and he had to press his hands to the counter to catch himself, pulling away slightly with a grin and staring down at Light. “Oh _shit_ ,” he laughed, eyes dancing with amusement. “If _you’re_ drunk, what am _I?"_

 

Light leaned back against the breakfast counter, tilting his head and smiling up at L. “I’m glad you enjoyed yourself. Sharing something I like with you...and you liking it too...I don’t know, I’m rambling...but that feels good.”

 

L’s amusement faded slightly into an expression of genuine fondness as Light rambled, and he leaned in to wrap his arms around the teen, silencing him with a deep kiss. Only when he pulled away did he say reassuringly, “I had the time of my life, Light. Every single _bit_ of it was magical.” A grin split his face. “ _And_ they played my favorite song, so I’m _very_ happy.” Insinuating one leg in between Light’s, L pressed up against him suggestively and nuzzled into his neck, murmuring, “And the night is still young, if you still wanna write some… if you’re not ready for _sleep_ yet.”

 

Light’s hands moved up L’s exposed sides and around to his back, scratching lightly down L’s skin. The suggestive way the man was pressing against him was making him hard again, and Light rolled his hips into L’s leg to let him feel it. He leaned in to kiss a line up the pale, bruised skin of L’s neck, murmuring, “No...I don’t want to sleep, I need to write _._ ” 

 

L might have been comfortably loose with his _wandering_ hands, and just as drunk as Light, but he was _definitely_ not ready to go to sleep, and his eyes gleamed now as he pulled back to smile slowly at Light. “Then no, I don’t have any specific requests for names tonight.” Leaning forward to lick Light’s cheek, he whispered, “I honestly don’t care which criminals you eliminate, you _know_ what I want out of it tonight.”

 

Light pulled the crop-top over L’s head, his hands plunging into the man’s tight jeans to squeeze his ass and jerk his chest forward to Light’s mouth. He lapped a stripe across L’s collarbone, moaning softly as he bit down and started backing L towards the bedroom. “The news will be replaying on _some_ channel.” _I’ll use that to find the names for tonight._  

 

L grinned fiercely when Light tugged his shirt off, a breathless sound escaping him when Light tugged him forward, mouth moving against his chest and collarbone in a _very_ enticing way. “ _Shit_ , Light,” he gasped, reaching up to grip at the back of the teen’s head when he bit down, and he let Light walk him towards the bedroom, shuffling awkwardly with the way Light still had his hands down his jeans. 

 

Light pulled away when they entered the bedroom, opening the closet to retrieve his death note from the new safe. Over his shoulder, “It’s biometric, watch.” He placed his hand on the smooth panel and the safe beeped and swung open, allowing Light to reach in and take the notebook. “Hmm. While I’m thinking about it….I’ll add your hand too.” He stood up and grabbed L’s wrist, laughing as he dragged the man down to the floor of the closet. Light went through the routine to add L, first pressing his own hand and then L’s and then his own. “There. Now you can open it too.” 

 

L couldn’t help but pout at Light when he finally pulled away, though he _was_ momentarily distracted by watching Light open the safe. _Oh, nice_ , L thought to himself, a pleased smile spreading across his face at the thought Wedy had put into their request. A moment later, he found himself giggling, and when Light tugged him down, he just muttered, “How _handy_ ,” glancing sidelong at Light with a smirk and letting the teen guide him through the process. 

 

Light snorted at L’s pun, closing his eyes a moment before looking up with a grin. “That was so bad.” He giggled drunkenly, “I loved it.” 

 

L knew he _should_ care, but he was a little too preoccupied with other things to pay attention to the safe right now. “Awesome,” L said, giggling, standing up and going to sit on the end of the bed, bending down to unzip the boots.

 

Light felt a little sticky from their ‘prior activities,’ and went into the bathroom to wash up quickly before moving to the bed to turn on the TV. Light flipped through the channels until he found what he was looking for. _Bingo._ He clicked his pen and laid back on the bed as he listened intently, heartbeat quickening as he waited for the inevitable names and faces. It wasn’t long before the main story of the night was described, _‘A grisly murder of an entire family in northern Tokyo…'_ The newscaster drew his full attention as she began to describe the crime that had happened while they were at the concert that night, and his face darkened the longer he listened.

 

“I’ll be right back, Light,” L said when Light came back in, making a beeline for the other room as Light turned on the TV. He heard the tail end of an announcement of a murder, and his breath caught, a surge of anger going through him as he paused to listen. _Seriously? Do these monsters not realize that Kira will come down on them for doing something so horrible?!_ How there were still people out there committing murders and other horrible crimes was beyond him, was just a somewhat sobering reminder that there was still a _lot_ of work to be done.

 

‘ _...the break-in seems to have been motivated by a stalker who had been spurned by Aiko Tanabata, single mother of two. The man broke in and…’_ Light was breathing hard, furious and waiting for the information he needed. Softly, “Come on...show his face and name.”

 

“I have a feeling I know who the first name will be,” L declared, glancing back intently at Light before ducking into the bathroom and making a beeline straight to the counter where he could see the makeup Light had used tonight still sitting on the counter. _Oh thank goodness he didn’t put them away yet_ , he thought, studying himself in the mirror for a moment as he picked up the tube of lipstick. It was pretty straightforward, right?

 

Light met L’s eyes in the bathroom mirror, nodding fervently that _yes_ this would be the first name if the news would just say it already. 

 

As L uncapped the lipstick, he glanced up to meet Light’s eyes, smiling briefly at him before leaning in close to layer on another coat of lipstick where it had worn away. The visual reminder of what they had done at the concert sent a pang of arousal through him, and he had to clutch at the counter for a moment as he breathed heavily, grinning to himself at the mental image. He inspected himself in the mirror again, and let out a huff. _His_ handiwork didn’t look quite as good as Light’s, but... he supposed that it didn’t matter. No-one but Light was going to see it, and if he had his way, it was just going to get messed up quickly _anyway_.

 

“How are we looking?” he called out, capping the lipstick and stepping back into the bedroom, gaze immediately going to where Light was laying back against the pillows, still looking like pure sex. Swallowing hard, L went to sit at the edge of the bed, leaning back against his hands as he waited for the name. _They haven’t shown this guy’s picture yet? That’s weird._

 

 _‘...out of concern for the suspect, who is now on the run, his family has requested that his name and face not be displayed in case Kira was watching…’_ “Fuck!” Light sat up on the bed, his hand clenching into a fist around the pen. “Why should they protect _this scum_ \--” But the newscasters next words silenced him.

 

‘... _but_ **_our_ ** _duty is to inform the public of dangers in the community.’_ The newscaster smiled smugly into the camera, almost as if she was hoping Kira was watching. _‘Thus, here is the most recent police photograph of the suspect, Nakada Izumo.’_ A picture of a non-descript Japanese man in his 40s popped up on the TV, and Light was grinning at the screen, leaning forward and crawling to the end of the bed to get the best possible look. “Ha! YES!” He broke into pleased laughter as he memorized the face, then smiled at L and beckoning him over. 

 

At first, L thought that the news station was going to actually _comply_ with the family’s request, and his reaction was nearly as visceral as Light’s, sitting bolt upright and glaring at the screen, fists clenching at the duvet… but then the newscaster smiled and showed the information _anyway_ , and L turned to grin fiercely at Light when he crawled down beside him. “Looks like we’ve got a lot of people on our side when it comes to what really matters,” L said, heart starting to race as Light beckoned him closer.

 

Light let out a long breath, hoping L’s statement was true. “I wonder how many people really _do_ support Kira?” Giving L a meaningful look, “Your idea about the website might go a long way towards finding out the answer to that, and perhaps even contacting people in positions to help us.” He gave the TV a curious, thoughtful look. “Like perhaps this newscaster, or others.” But soon, Light hoped he wouldn’t have to rely on what was stated on the news, that instead L would be able to tell him many more names all over the world. He knew it wasn’t safe or prudent to focus so much on Japanese criminals, and more specifically, those in Tokyo, but there was no way Light could see this and not act. _People who support me would expect me to. This newscaster expects me to. I won’t disappoint them._

 

L smiled slowly at Light when the teen brought up the website idea again. “That’s why I suggested it,” he murmured, a feeling of hot satisfaction curling through him at that, and he laughed to himself. _My day is going to be busy tomorrow, isn’t it?_ “How about I set it up tomorrow? I have to talk to Wedy first thing, anyway, get her to set me up a safe room that Watari doesn’t know about so I can arrange to bring B in. I can multitask while I’m waiting for all the pieces to be set up, yeah?” He thought about suggesting Light try to get into Watari’s deep net connections, but… no. If Watari caught him, there was no telling what the man would do. He would ask him directly about it first, maybe, and see if Watari would give him something to work with, and in the meantime... 

 

Light knew that he could search his phone for more names, but it was probably a bad idea to write too many names tonight, as much as he wanted to. L would have to go back to the task force tomorrow and purportedly investigate everything ‘Kira’ had done the past few days--hell, he’d be a part of that investigation too. But Light didn’t want to break up Kira’s ‘pattern’ either, make it seem like he was too busy this weekend to take his usual actions. It was with some relief that the crime already announced seemed to be the only heinous one of the night. _Just one name then. That will be enough, and the city will be safer after this monster is gone. That’s our duty to the public._

 

The freshly-applied lipstick most certainly did not escape Light’s notice, and he stared at L’s bright red lips as his excited smile slipped to a smirk. “Hmm, so that’s what you were doing in there.” He put his pen aside a moment, reaching out to touch L’s bottom lip with his thumb. It came away smudged with red, and Light’s gaze slid from it back up to meet L’s eyes, hoping that meant that L planned on getting that lipstick _all_ over him. 

 

L’s grin melted into a smug, eager little smirk nearly rivaling Light’s, and L nodded, tongue darting out to wet his lips in anticipation, a thrill going through him at the way Light’s gaze followed the movement. He took a deep breath, letting his gaze trail down Light’s body before snapping back up to Light’s face. “I thought it… might be hot to see you with lipstick marks showing where my mouth has been,” L whispered, reaching out to trail his fingers down the teen’s chest, a little unsure how to deal with Light’s outfit. It was a _little_ more complicated than his own had been, and he hadn’t been there to watch how it all went on, so he didn’t want to wreck it. He giggled, glancing back up at Light again as he said, “Um… please tell me this is simpler to get off than it looks.”

 

Even as he asked the question, L’s attention was briefly pulled back to the news program, and he wasn’t sure if he was _hoping_ for more criminal names to be announced on the news replay, or if Light would even bother with more than one tonight. _I’d rather we NOT have too many people like Nakada, what a horrible person,_ he thought to himself, looking back at Light and leaning forward to press a brief kiss to the teen’s mouth, hooking his fingers now under the waistband of those tight leather pants and teasing Light’s skin.

 

Light laughed at L’s apparent consternation at all the buckles and straps lashing his outfit together. “I’m afraid it’s just as complicated as it looks, but hold on.” He rolled off the bed and stood next to it, holding L’s gaze as he undid each of the buckles on his top until he could shrug it off. Smiling seductively, “Too bad I don’t have any music, or I’d give you a little show.” _Actually I’m too impatient tonight, but later, definitely._ He was standing there in just sheer mesh and leather pants now, and pulled L closer by the shoulders, taking L’s hands and rubbing them over the silky mesh at his chest. 

 

Light was standing in front of L and giving him one of the _sultriest_ , most seductive looks as he undid all of the straps and buckles holding that outfit together… and L was drinking in every detail, lips parted in amusement and no small amount of lust as he watched the display. “I don’t know,” he said, throat going a little dry as he lifted his eyes briefly to Light’s, quickly dropping them again when Light discarded the vinyl, standing there in only the mesh and those _sexy_ pants. “This is a mighty sexy show already.” He swallowed hard, letting Light guide his hands to press against his chest, rubbing his fingers in sensual circles across the fabric over Light’s nipples before smoothing his hands up and down his torso, enjoying the silky texture beneath his fingers.

 

“Maybe I can get you to wear this sometime. I have _plenty_ of things to choose from.” Giggling, Light dropped L’s hands and pulled his shirt off, tossing it aside before popping the button at his pants. “I assume you can do the rest?” 

 

“Do you _really_ want to see me in this outfit?” L asked, eyes wide at that suggestion as he stared up at Light, smiling now as he smoothed his hands up the teen’s back, stroking his skin and leaning in now to press his lips to Light’s stomach. “If you really want to, I’ll wear it for you,” he whispered, mouthing his way up Light’s torso before sealing his lips around one nipple and flicking his tongue over it, scraping his nails lightly down Light’s back as he teased with teeth and tongue, a low hum leaving him.

 

Light drank in L’s attention, because if it were up to him, the detective would never look anywhere else. He licked his lips as L’s hands roamed over his chest, bending a knee and propping it on the bed beside L to lean into his touch. Smiling down at L, “Of course. But I prefer you in nothing at all...or looking totally debauched and covered in cum.” He flushed at the thought of how many times they had _both_ been in exactly that position, reaching down to press his erection in his pants when L said he’d wear Light’s outfit. _I would like to see that._

 

Smiling, L gazed up at Light, finding it amusing how the teen always liked to bring up how much he liked him all debauched, and he really couldn’t blame him for that. He had said the same thing a few times, after all, and they seemed to spend an inordinate amount of time naked around each other, for the amount of time overall that they had actually _spent_ together. Not that he would _ever_ complain about that. “Don’t think I didn’t notice how you couldn’t keep your hands off me for more than a few minutes at a time tonight,” L said in a low voice.

 

“I couldn’t keep my hands off you because of how sexy you are. Because of how hot you make me.” Light’s hands moved into L’s hair, brushing back the swept bangs so Light could see his eyes properly. “No one’s _ever_ had that effect on me.” He stroked L’s hair affectionately, the compliment was meant honestly and he hoped that came through. “There’s something extremely hot about seeing you in my clothes. Maybe one day we’ll play role reversal and I’ll wear your L uniform...let you tie me up and fuck me hard. Would you like that?” Light never thought that _he’d_ like that, but the idea was beginning to appeal to him. He was curious as to how it felt, what L felt. Even though he preferred to be in control, he had to admit that being at someone’s mercy (someone he could really trust) on occasion would be exciting.

 

L exhaled hard when Light made that suggestion about _role reversal_ , his thoughts flashing back briefly to that one line in Light’s Tinder profile-- ‘ _prefer top but might be convinced otherwise_ ’. It was a topic he had never bothered to broach yet, mainly because he liked it so much when Light fucked him… but also because he remembered Light’s comments about not finding certain things appealing, except under certain circumstances. And this seemed to fall into that camp. But if Light was _suggesting_ it? _Oh shit, YES, I would love that._  

 

“ _Shit_ , would you?” L asked breathlessly, staring up at Light with wide eyes as the teen brushed his hair away from them. He grinned wide, fingers clenching into Light’s skin at the thought of such a reversal. 

 

Light chuckled when L asked him if he really would enjoy it, the surprise or perhaps just arousal in L’s voice apparent. “I’m curious what it’s like from the other perspective. Losing control and having to take on the desires of another.” _Is that what’s it’s like for you?_ “Although...I hope that I don’t just overrun what you want.” _Is that honest? Some part of me gets off on using him._ He gasped when he observed the red lipstick smeared across his chest, “Most of the time, at least.” 

 

Even drunk as L was, hearing how Light viewed being on the  _receiving end_ was eye opening, and he smiled. _Half the time I WANT you to take what you want, Light._ He had enjoyed himself _greatly_ this morning when Light had let him tie him up. “Down the line…” L squirmed and licked at Light’s nipple, kissing his way to lick and nip at the hollow of the teen’s throat before dragging his tongue over Light’s other nipple, not even _bothering_ to hide how excited that thought made him. “I would _love_ that.”

 

Light’s fingers clenched in L’s hair as those red lips finally pressed to his bare stomach, the muscles beneath them clenching reflexively. He purred, “You tease,” but didn’t try to stop or hurry him along. A soft moan passed his lips as L’s mouth closed around his nipple, and he arched into it at the feeling of nails scraping down his back. It wasn’t _nearly_ as much as he needed but as excited as he was tonight, he was willing to be patient and let L do as he liked.

 

 _Hell yeah I’m a tease._ L chuckled, stroking his fingers against Light’s skin again and biting down _hard_ on the nub, lathing it with his tongue to soothe it. “But tonight,” he murmured, in between kisses pressed into Light’s skin as he trailed his fingers down to tug at the fastenings on Light’s pants, freeing the teen’s erection. He stared up at Light intently, grinning now, “ _Tonight_ , I want to suck your cock.”

 

Light moaned when L bit down hard on his nipple, his head falling back as he enjoyed the mixture of pleasure and pain. “ _Yes_...yes, you know how much I love your mouth on me.”

 

L gently pressed Light forward before sliding off the bed and tugging the leather down his hips, nuzzling his lips and nose against Light’s erection, glancing up and locking eyes with him before opening his mouth wide and rubbing the flat of his tongue against the underside of the head. He flicked his tongue up over the slit before murmuring, “I know you do, Light.” Beaming up at Light, L wrapped his lips around him and pressed his mouth down in slow, shallow bobs, fingers trailing down the shaft to stroke against Light’s sack. _Let’s see how long we can both last, drunk and horny as we are,_ he thought to himself, giggling around Light.

 

Light stepped backwards as L slid to the floor, staring down at him eagerly as L teased him, bobbing so slow he was throbbing in the man’s mouth for more. His fingers slid into L’s mussed hair and guided his mouth deeper, the alcohol in his system still making him feel pleasantly dizzy and warm. The sight of the lipstick streaked up his member was making his heart race, and L’s mouth was becoming a ruin of red pigment. “Shit, look in the mirror…” He reluctantly pulled himself out of L’s mouth, turning L’s chin to look in the full-length mirror on the wall adjacent to them. Light’s thumb smeared a bit of red across L’s cheek, making him even messier. _Not that I’m not covered in lipstick too._

 

L couldn’t quite quell the way his heart was racing, from all the compliments Light had been giving him tonight, but also from the way Light was reacting to everything. He slid his hands up to grip at Light’s hips for a moment when the teen pulled out, turning his face towards the mirror, and he stared for a moment before grinning. “Oh man, we look like a couple of messy train wrecks, don’t we?” L said with a laugh, eyes dancing with amusement as he privately thought to himself, _but I look more like the Joker right now_. He giggled at the sight of Light’s thumb smearing lipstick across his cheek and he turned his face back up to Light’s, a smug smirk spreading across his face now.

 

Light grinned at L’s observation, unable to dispute it. He reached up and traced the multiple lines and smudges of lipstick on his chest. Playfully, “What a _mess_ you’ve made. _Again._ You know I expect you to scrub all this off of me in the bathtub tomorrow, right?” It was almost a shame that he didn’t have his camera but he was too impatient to wait any longer, instead turning L’s face back onto his cock so he could thrust deep. The death note lay on the bed, open to a fresh page with the pen on top. Maybe he could maneuver L so he could write the criminal’s name when he got close.

 

Licking at the tip of Light’s cock, L let the teen thrust deep into his mouth before pulling off and purring, “Mmm, hang on. I’ve changed my mind.” His gaze went to the death note on the bed, an idea beginning to form.

 

Light moaned softly as L licked him again and took him deep once, grabbing his hair again at the provocation, but stopped when L pulled off like he had something else in mind. Disappointment bleeding into his voice, “Changed your mind?”

 

”Uh huh,.” L leaned in to bite at Light’s hip before saying, “I still want you in my mouth. But…” He grinned up at Light, breathing heavily as he pulled himself up to stand, leaning in to kiss Light sloppily, trailing his mouth to the teen’s ear before whispering, “I want you to fuck my throat instead.” His fingers trailed down to caress Light’s erection, squeezing lightly and stroking once. “And put the death note on my chest to write. Yeah?”  


Light was frowning as L kissed him but it was immediately erased at the filthy idea whispered into his ear. Light let out a long exhale, his gaze smoldering now as he locked eyes with L. “Oh _hell_ yes.”

  
Stepping back, L sank back onto the bed, leaning back on his elbows as he stared up at Light with a grin on his face. His eyes gleamed as they traveled up and down Light’s body, licking his lips in anticipation before squirming around to lean his head partially off the bed. At the expression on Light’s face, he laughed and flicked his tongue out teasingly at the teen, beckoning him forward and reaching to pop the button on his jeans. “And maybe I shouldn’t come in _your_ jeans.”

 

Light watched intently as L flipped around to hang his head off the end of the bed, and kicked out of his pants completely so he’d have nothing impeding him. His hands trailed down L’s chest as he stepped closer, brushing L’s neck so gracefully extended in this position. He was panting as he picked up the Death Note and placed it on L’s chest, pressing it there for a moment and just taking in the sight before him. Whispering, “Oh god...I’m not going to be able to last long like this.”

 

L giggled breathlessly at the way Light was staring at him, breath catching as hands stroked his skin. Clearly, his suggestion was a good one. He let out a long, slow breath as he watched Light pant, and he couldn’t help but squirm at that soft whisper. “As long as it feels good, I don’t _need_ you to last long, Light,” he murmured, lifting his hips and wiggling the jeans down them, only stilling when Light pressed forward. 

 

Light couldn’t _wait_ any longer either and pushed his cock closer to that enticing tongue licking out towards him, sliding between L’s lips slowly so the man could adjust to this. But there was little resistance since L’s head was lined up _perfectly_ to take him as deep as physically possible. “Ah...ahhhhh.” He slid deeper yet, pressing into L’s throat and holding himself there as he widened his stance slightly. Light’s eyes fell shut and he leaned forward to pick up the pen in shaky fingers, patting the bed until his hand clenched around it. Snapping his hips back, he pressed in again rhythmically a few times but more shallow, waiting for L to tell him if this was uncomfortable or not. Swallowing hard, he opened his eyes and pulled out all the way, then thrust in all the way to the back of L’s throat in one fluid movement. “ _Fuck!”_

 

L squirmed as Light slid in, trying not to giggle at the sweet way the teen was trying to be courteous. _Ugh, Light, you’re adorable._ If his mouth hadn’t been full, he would have told him not to treat him gently, but even _he_ was a little surprised by how perfectly this had worked out, and he let out a low, muffled whine at the feeling of Light sliding in fully. It was _ridiculously_ hot, so much more erotic than he had imagined, and made even more so by the sounds coming from the teen’s mouth. His breathing was harsh when Light finally started to _move_ , and immediately he realized the only downside to this particular position - he wouldn’t be able to see Light’s _face_ as clearly when the teen finished. 

 

 _A small price to pay_ , L thought to himself, letting out another low sound of _want_ as he reached out to slide his fingers against Light’s hips and then around to squeeze his ass, quickly picking up a rhythm of keeping his throat relaxed at every slide _in_ and swallowing around Light’s cock when he pulled _out_. 

 

The loud moan in response to his hard thrust made Light smile, because it was all the permission he needed to do what _he_ wanted, which was to fuck L’s throat raw. “You want it rough too then?” He picked up the pace in response, each thrust pushing as deep as possible, groaning when he felt L swallow around him or dig his nails in. He caressed L’s neck, keeping fingers at his throat so he could _feel_ how his cock moved beneath the skin and muscle as his other hand roamed over L’s body. His nails were leaving scratches over the pale skin but Light couldn’t help it, this felt so ridiculously amazing he was becoming nearly frantic with need.

 

At first, it wasn’t really enough, and L was _ecstatic_ when Light finally _went_ for it. At each deep thrust, his toes curled into the duvet, hips twisting at the sudden throbbing arousal. He dug his nails into Light’s hips and moaned loudly, hoping _that_ was enough to convey to Light that, _yes, oh god, YES,_ this was what he wanted. He wanted to laugh, because, well… _I ASKED you to fuck my throat, didn’t I?_ And the fast pace, along with how _deep_ Light was able to get at this angle, was so _filthy_ and sexual that L quickly found himself overwhelmed, nails digging into Light’s ass and raking against his skin as his throat took the punishment. He was _so_ turned on that he thought for a moment, as Light’s nails raked up his torso, that he was going to come before Light even _wrote_ , without any extra stimulation, but he just _barely_ managed to hold his orgasm at bay.

 

Light whined as he came _so_ close to shooting, buckling over L’s head as the man swallowed around him. “W-wait...oh _shit…_ the name….” He had dropped the pen in his excitement but picked it up again now, moving with smooth strokes as he pressed ink to paper. His hand was trembling as he wrote and he whispered the words down to L:

 

**Takes his own life by seppuku, with whatever implement he encounters first.**

 

That _whine_ dropping from Light’s mouth made L’s cock twitch in his jeans, and it was a frantic reminder that he hadn’t gotten very far in removing them. Another muffled moan left L’s mouth as he felt the pressure of pen on paper, pressing into his chest with each stroke, and he rotated his hips, trying to get a little stimulation before pulling his hands away from Light’s body. Each word whispered down to him pulled harsh, aroused breaths from L as he frantically shoved the jeans down his hips and finally managed to kick the tight denim away, knowing that he was close, and Light probably even _closer_ as he stilled.

 

Just that much had taken some effort for Light to write clearly, and nearly a minute given his excited state. He paused there and edged himself inside L’s throat again, throbbing in the man’s mouth and so, so hard. 

 

L could feel the pen’s pressure against the book on his chest again, and the urge to whine and press his mouth forward onto that hard, throbbing cock in his mouth was nearly _overwhelming_ , but _no, nooo, he’s almost done writing, hold on for just a moment longer, it will all be-_

 

Each stroke of the kanji required focus to execute perfectly, and Light could feel the power of the Death Note urging him to add the name at last--

 

**Nakada Izumo**

 

Light flung the pen away, bending over L’s body and fucking hard and erratic now, panting and laughing as the electric pleasure coiled and tightened and _flowed_ through him and L and the book. “Do you feel it?” It was like watching a tidal wave from the shore, fast approaching but unable to judge its speed. _How long...how long until he dies?_

 

A whisper, “It’s coming. _I’m_ com--” Light broke off into a strangled gasp as it hit him all at once, vision going white as he caught himself against the bed with the intensity of it. “YES!” He exploded deep within L’s throat, grasping the man’s hair to make him take every drop as he pumped through it with a loud moan punctuated by gratified laughter. _He’s dead!_

 

 _Ohhhh, holy FUCK._ Almost the _second_ Light began fucking into his mouth erratically, L grabbed at the backs of his thighs, fingers digging in _hard_ as he felt that alien ecstasy settling into his body and tightening for a moment before sending a wave of adrenalized bliss through him, his body writhing under the onslaught of sensation. His eyes squeezed shut, and he yanked Light’s hips forward, holding him there as close as he could, even with Light still pumping through his _own_ orgasm. _FUCK._  

 

Light kept on laughing as he felt himself finally ride the tail end of it down, going soft in L’s mouth soon after. He only wished he’d been there to see what Nakada had used to ritually disembowel himself, but Light supposed they’d find out on the news tomorrow.

 

L could feel electric tingles through his entire body as he slowly unclenched, muscles still twitching, and he weakly swallowed around Light’s softening member, only _now_ feeling Light’s fingers in his hair. It was a bit of a chore to make his body do anything with how boneless he felt, but with a bit of effort, L gently pressed Light back out of his mouth, giggling softly and rolling over onto his side to gaze up at the teen with a lazy, awed smile on his face, patting the bed beside him, not even caring when the note slipped off his chest to lay closed on the bed.

 

Light blinked as he stared down at the swirling pattern of the bedspread beneath him, trying to catch his breath between fits of giggles and not topple right over. He was leaning with both hands holding himself up on the bed, and vaguely registered L pushing him back enough to slip out. Panting, he grinned at L as he rolled away, “Oh...fuck…I can never get used to how that is...when I write with you.” _Phew._ He shook his head to try and banish the dizziness and crawled up on the bed beside L, collapsing on his back and reaching out to touch L’s face gently. Smiling, “If you thought your lipstick was messy before, you should take a look now.” The red pigment was literally _everywhere_ on L’s face, all over his chin and smearing up his cheek and into his _hair_ somehow. Beyond that, L was covered in cum like a bomb had gone off. Light’s finger traced downwards across L’s chest and stomach, wiping up a little of it and giggling before licking it off. Teasingly, “Messy, messy warugaki.” 

 

“ _Shit_ ,” L whispered, stretching lazily as he craned his neck to see what Light was talking about. _I really AM messy, holy crap_. After a moment, he glanced down, and though he was sure he had _already_ been flushed from the activity, he could feel his face heating up even more when he realized that he had come _so_ hard that… _Oh no!_ Grinning sheepishly, he rasped, “Um… I may have stained your Death Note.” _And all up my stomach._   


Light was about to swipe a little more but paused as he listened to L say he’d... _oh my god!_ His eyes went wide as he looked down at the Death Note, picking it up in pinched fingers as it _dripped._ Cackling with laughter, “L!!!!!” He tossed it aside, unable to deal with ripping out all the stained pages tonight. “Is this how you’re going to treat an ancient magical object from another realm? Pfft, L, really.” He snuggled close to L, kissing him between giggles and snorts of amusement. “How am I supposed to give you your own Death Note if you’re just going to get it soggy all the time?” He tried to affect a serious face and sighed dramatically, but couldn’t hold it, the mask breaking back to delighted laughter in an instant.

 

L giggled in embarrassment, trying hard not to smile at the way Light was falling into hysterics over his… messiness. “I didn’t _mean_ to,” he protested, reaching up to cover his mouth with his hand, laughing harder when Light tossed the book aside. He was still reeling from that orgasm, the room lazily spinning, though thankfully not enough to make him feel nauseated. “It’s not _my_ fault it has that effect on us.” He _probably_ should have remembered that, but hormones and alcohol apparently made him do whatever it took to get off. 

 

Working his sore jaw, L pulled his hand away from his mouth and instead wrapped his arms around Light now as the teen snuggled into him, those sweet kisses making him beam happily down at him. “Okay, so now we know for _next_ time not to put it on my chest,” L said with a laugh, shaking his head. “ _Especially_ if you’re doing _that_ , holy fuck, that was incredibly  _hot_. I want you to do that again sometime.”

 

Light sighed contentedly, resting his cheek on L’s chest and enjoying the floating afterglow. “It’s been a magical day, and not just because of...that.” He looked at the sodden Death Note again and laughed silently against L’s skin, kissing his chest. “But I’m absolutely exhausted. Will you come to bed with me, even if just for a little while?” He knew that L didn’t sleep as long as he did, but just falling asleep together was enough.

 

The way Light was cuddling into him now, relaxing bonelessly onto his chest, just made L sigh out, eyes sliding closed in utter satisfaction. “I’m glad my messiness could make you laugh,” L whispered after a long moment, shifting a bit to get comfortable as he stroked his fingers up and down Light’s back. “And I… don’t think I could do anything else tonight if I wanted to, you wore me the fuck _out_. I’m definitely going to have to clean up my mess later.” Cracking one eye open, L smiled again, dropping a kiss to Light’s hair before murmuring meaningfully, “Thank you for _everything_ , tonight, Light.”

 

There was a weight to his words that belied his drunkenness, and he knew he might have to explain what he meant, there was _so_ much he wanted to say tonight, but… _That can wait until morning_ , he found himself thinking as he yawned widely, stretching before settling his arms back loosely around Light, eyes falling shut again as he nuzzled at Light’s hair, murmuring a soft, “I love you.”

 

 _I’ll never get over hearing you say that._ Light listed to the soft thumping in L’s chest, the only reminder time was passing in this still, quiet moment. “I love you too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ‘Warugaki’ is just a cheeky term of endearment Light calls L, essentially ‘a brat.’


	43. Your Bark Is Worse Than Your Byte

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> L catches Ryuk having a bit of sneaky fun, and Light and L are evil in nerdy ways. The boys make plans for Beyond’s arrival, but L finds something disturbing on his phone.

Ryuk zipped through the neon-lit streets of Tokyo, the wolf mask Light has asked him to steal from the band safely tucked into his wings. _Like a good shinigami, bahhh._ He’d hung around the stadium well past when Light and L had left, people-watching mostly. A thousand tiny dramas unfolded as the crowd ebbed away-- drunken vomiting, couples making out, a few fights, groups of fans trying to get one more encore or an autograph. Ryuk had been to concerts with Light before but nothing like this, and he wondered what the band themselves would think about entertaining a god of death this night, one that would remember each word and note of their songs for an eternity. 

 

He focused his extremely long range of vision on the Park Hyatt across the city, and in his mind it now shone like an unmistakable beacon drawing him there. The nightclubs and hostess clubs of Shinjuku were closing up and dumping their patrons into the streets, and the temptation to reach into his wings and don the mask was _very_ strong. _Hmmm. What Light-o don’t know won’t kill him. These guys are ten sheets to the wind anyhow. Yeah!_

 

Ryuk chuckled to himself as long claws met fake fur, and the wolf mask plopped right down on his bulbous head. It wasn’t a perfect fit but it didn’t need to be, he could phase half out of it and it wasn’t like the people he was slowly flapping behind would see anything but the mask. He waited until a group of them were clustering near a cab stand before swooping down with the fakest sounding wolf-growl that ever echoed in Japan. _GrrrrRWWAAAAAWWW!_

 

Another hour passed (in absolute demonic glee) before Ryuk actually descended through the ceiling of the Hyatt and into L and Light’s room. He only then realized he was still wearing the mask and hastily shoved it back in his wings. _Oops._ Lucky for him, Light and L were fast asleep in bed, so he tossed the mask onto the couch and started up a game of Mario Kart. But not before taking _ALL_ the apples that had been promised to him over the course of the night. A promise to a shinigami was a promise kept.

 

\-----

 

It was still dark when something jolted L awake, sitting bolt upright in bed, breathing heavily and heart racing as he accidentally jostled Light. _God damn it, did I have another nightmare?_ The dream images were already fading as he froze, vision blurry and head pounding as he waited for Light to shift around and settle down again, thankfully not waking up. _Oh thank goodness._ L waited for his heart to slow and his momentary panic to lessen before he slid out of bed and shuffled to the bathroom, rubbing at his eyes and letting out a jaw-cracking yawn, only paying attention to his surroundings when he went to wash his hands. “Holy shit,” he breathed, eyes widening as he took in how he looked. _Looks like I went to one hell of a party last night_ , he thought, giggling as he turned his head a little to try and rub the lipstick out of his hair. _How the hell…?_

 

Stepping back, L bit his lip, trying not to smirk or laugh at himself. Oh well. He left the room, pausing when he heard the faint sounds of the Switch from the living room. _Ryuk. What time is-_ Spying the clock beside the bed, L groaned when he realized that he’d only gotten a couple hours sleep. _Maybe I’ll be able to get a little more sleep_ , he thought, though he wasn’t feeling very hopeful about that, seeing as he felt pretty alert. Whatever he did, he wanted to check his phone for news first, and peeked out into the living room to see how engrossed the shinigami was in his game. _Maybe he’ll let me check the news and go back to sleep without bothering me_ , L thought, a wry expression on his face as he moved over to where his coat and top lay in a heap on the floor by the breakfast counter. There was little to no chance of _that_ happening, honestly, and the way his head was throbbing, he wasn’t sure he could get back to sleep right now if he tried. But still, he retrieved his phone, stifling a giggle when he flipped it open and saw the text from Wedy, _and_ how low his battery was running, and he flipped into his news feed before blinking.

 

Ryuk looked up from his game as L wandered into the living room, grinning hopefully, “Lawli!”

 

“So, Ryuk,” L started to say in a forced casual tone as he went to the fridge to grab a bottle of water. “... have _fun_ on the way back here last night?”

 

Ryuk flinched a little at L’s question and looked guiltily at the wolf mask on the couch. “Uhhh, nope! Boring, bored outta my gourd. Nothin’ happened that was, er, even slightly fun, noooooo.” He laughed nervously as he floated up from the floor, raising a hand to point to the mask. “Brought that back for ya. Might be kinda stinky since I swiped it right off some guy’s head. I mean, not that _I_ would know it was stinky, uh uh. Wasn’t on my head or anything.” _This is not sounding convincing. Better shut up._

 

L stared at Ryuk as the shinigami stammered his way through a lying explanation, bringing the water up to his lips to hide the smile that was creeping in and taking a long swallow. _Oh wow, did I need that._ He took another long swallow before setting the bottle down, arching an eyebrow up as he leaned on his elbows. “Mmhmm,” he said, unconvinced. 

 

Leaning his chin in his hand, L brought the phone up in front of his face to read out in a bland voice, “‘Local bar hoppers and party goers report being terrorized by a demonic, floating wolf head as they head home for the evening. Vengeful spirit, mass hallucination, or elaborate prank? We’re inclined to say this is some sort of mass hallucination brought on by too much alcohol, since the only reports seem to be coming from those who imbibed.’ Wow, that’s very elaborate prose for a _gossip_ publication that posted this news story at-” L checked the time stamp, and continued with a smirk -“4:52 am.”

 

Ryuk sat up straight as a board as L read the news coverage, “Hyuk!!” He scratched his head before chuckling and laying back against the couch with a wave of his clawed hand. “Heh, you humans and yer booze. No tellin’ what kinda crazy things you’ll see.” His eyes gleamed though, there was no point in denying it and plus he was a little proud of himself. _Too bad you didn’t see the looks on their faces, it was priceless._

 

Snorting, L just muttered, “‘Mass hallucinations from alcohol overconsumption’. Bet you had a field day with _that_.” He tossed a tiny smile at the shinigami, shaking his head a little at the obvious pride Ryuk was taking in his little prank. He had to admit, he had pretty much _known_ the temptation would be too much for Ryuk to resist, and the short article _was_ pretty funny, so he didn’t really care that much.

 

The shinigami was slightly hesitant to ask for even more apples or ask L to play with him, but that passed quickly. “We’re runnin’ a little low on apples.” He poked his bottom lip out in an approximation of what he’d seen Light do when he’d pout to get his way. Of course, on Ryuk it just looked hideously ridiculous. He phased over to one of the couches, sprawling on it as he watched L fiddle with his phone. “I’d ask ya to play with me but Light told me you need some sleep. Shouldn’t ya go be boring a while longer?”

 

Putting his phone down, L slid his fingers up to rub at his temples before snickering. “Please don’t try to pout, Ryuk, it… doesn’t really work on you.” He glanced over to where the mask rested, and then to the nearly empty bowl of apples, sighing. “I’m going to have to make a standing order for apples every day, I suppose. You certainly deserved the lot of them after all the requests Light and I made of you yesterday. Everything was very much appreciated, by the way, so thank you.” 

 

Ryuk hooted in happiness when L said he’d put in a standing order for apples, nodding at the unexpected thanks. “Nice t’hear a ‘thank you Ryuk’ now and then. Light-o don’t bother, pahh.” But it was said fondly, like he knew that Light appreciated his little helpful gestures even without voicing it. “What you doin’ up? Thought you and Light-o would be snorin’ away.” He wasn’t going to complain though, it was infinitely more entertaining to watch humans than play a game. 

 

L frowned, taking another swig of water that nearly drained the bottle before saying softly, “I… don’t know _why_ I’m awake, exactly. I mean... I often have pretty disruptive nightmares, but I couldn’t tell you what they’re about most of the time.” Clicking into Wire, he smiled to himself upon seeing the picture Wedy had sent him, and saved it to his photos immediately before sending it to Light. He frowned again, eyes narrowing when it sent twice. _Again? Okay, I need to figure out why the fuck my phone keeps glitching lately_. “And I _would_ try to get more sleep, but my head is kind of pounding.” _Probably from the alcohol._ “I don’t really feel like playing a _game_ right now, but... if you want to keep me company while I get to work on some things, feel free. I have a _lot_ of work to do today. Might as well get started while I’m awake.”

 

L finished off the water bottle and tossed it in the recycling bin before moving towards the bedroom, phone clutched in his hand. He needed to grab his laptop, his phone charger, and scrub himself down before doing anything. _And see if this suite comes stocked with painkillers._

 

Ryuk floated up off the couch when L mentioned he had some things to do, thinking it might be something interesting, but hovered in the bedroom when the human complained about a headache. “Hmmm. Shinigami don’t get those.” 

 

L paused halfway to the closet when Ryuk came down to hover in front of him. “What do you mean, shinigami don’t get… headaches?”

 

Ryuk peered into L’s body, scanning with his x-ray vision for the source of the issue. _What a mess of knots in his neck. Bet that’s it._ “Hold still.” Before L could protest, Ryuk phased his fingers into L’s neck and pinched the knotted muscle, as if snapping his fingers. “There. How’s that?”

 

The shinigami’s scrutiny was making L slightly uncomfortable, but that was nothing compared to the odd sensation of Ryuk sticking his fingers _into_ his neck - though he didn’t actually _feel_ anything. “Ryuk! What-” he started, starting to move back only to have to catch himself against one of the struts of the bed, feeling light headed from the instant relief. “What the hell did you just _do_ to me?” he asked weakly, reaching up to rub the back of his neck and trail his fingers across his temples in wonder. _Damn, that would be a hugely convenient ability to have._

 

Ryuk grinned that it had worked and not resulted in even more horrible pain. He shrugged, lowering his voice to a whisper so as not to wake Light, “Just saw the problem and fixed it is all, no big deal.” He’d done it for Light once or twice too, after particularly long nights studying and writing, but most of the time he just told the human to go take an aspirin. It actually surprised him a little that he did help L out without a second thought. _Guess Lawli’s growing on me a little._

 

But perhaps there was a slight ulterior motive to helping L, seeing as how Light might not find his antics with the wolf head as amusing. Whispering again, “Maybe, uh, we don’t tell Light-o ‘bout that news story, mmkay? No harm done, hyuk hyuk.” He figured there was no sense in drawing Light’s ire for a little harmless fun. “He got his souvenir, didn’t he?”

 

 _That must be his x-ray vision Light was telling me about,_ L thought to himself, smiling gratefully. “Well… _thank_ you, Ryuk.” _Why would he help me with this?_ A moment later, he had his answer, and he laughed softly, glancing over to where Light still slept peacefully. “Well, looks like your secret is safe with me. I won’t say a word.” Fixing Ryuk with an amused look, he added, “In _this_ case, what he doesn’t know won’t hurt him. Besides, I knew you were going to do _something_ with it. I just hope only drunk people saw.”

 

Chuckling, L went to the safe to retrieve his things, and stepped into the bathroom, opening his laptop to let it boot up and smirking when he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror again. _Ugh, I’m a mess._ He started the water running, and then paused, gaze going thoughtfully to the door. _He DID want me to keep sending him naughty pictures…_ L shook his head at himself, muttering under his breath in amusement, “The things I do for him.” Taking his phone, he stepped to one of the full length mirrors, and snapped a few shots, unable to keep the grin off his face at the thought of Light’s face when he woke up to a picture of _this_ in his texts.

 

“Enjoy,” he whispered, clicking send over regular text messaging without a second thought (and when had he become so _comfortable_ with doing things like this?) before going to scrub away all of the makeup and… other stains. _I wish I knew where Light put the key to the collar,_ he thought, pausing a moment to wipe a few droplets of water off the leather. The soft whirring of the laptop let him know it was ready to go, and he murmured, “Yes, yes, I’m coming.” He hastily finished scrubbing himself down and dried off, grabbing a bathrobe from behind the door and wandering into the living room with his laptop and phone in hand. 

 

Ryuk had resumed his game after L wandered into the bathroom, knowing better than to follow humans in there given the snaps he’d gotten from Light about it. He’d just broken his last record on Rainbow Road when L came back in, and he paused his game. Turning around, he floated above the floor in a crossed-legged position, chin in his hand. 

 

“Ryuk, just curious,” L began quietly, eyeing the hovering shinigami as he settled onto the couch. “Is there anything else you know about B? Bernael, I mean?” That was going to be a strange thing to get used to, knowing the other man’s true name now. 

 

“You wanna know more about Bernael? Hmmm. Guess it depends what ya wanna know. There’s a lot that Justin and Regal Rottenface don’t tell us when it comes to rules breakin’.” _And Justin, you definitely broke a doozy of a rule that time._

 

“Also… would you like to meet him?”

 

The smile fell from Ryuk’s face and he became quite serious. “Meet him? Heh, sure, would probably be interesting.” _Wonder if I can see his name and lifespan...and how much of his shinigami father he really got._ “Why, you thinkin’ about making a social call?”

 

As L considered the question ( _what DO I want to know?_ ), typing furiously on his laptop, he said absently, “No, I’m bringing him to Japan. Light suggested the same on Friday, and it makes more sense than making a…” He snorted, and smirked at Ryuk. “... a _social call_. Besides, he will have gotten used to his surroundings in his cell in Los Angeles. If I bring him _here_ , he’ll be a little more off guard, and hopefully more likely to slip up and reveal something he otherwise wouldn’t if he gets it in his mind to be difficult.” _Which I can guarantee he will, at least at first. Until I give him something. Like the knowledge of his parentage._ “Of course, I need to set it up first. There are a lot of pieces I need to move into place and we won’t have him here until Monday evening at the absolute earliest.”

 

There had been two things that had been bothering Ryuk about Bernael ever since he had that conversation in the park with L. First was the growing suspicion that other shinigami hybrids probably existed (or had existed) and had been kept a secret from the Realm. Second was the odd coincidence that L had met Bernael before. “I’m curious though, you said you caught him, put him in prison. What’d he _do_ , exactly?” From Ryuk’s perspective, it didn’t seem likely that Bernael would be happy to see the person that had thrown him in prison, but humans did tend to surprise him regularly. 

 

L went quiet for a few minutes, concentrating on just getting into his computer, and plugged in his phone, opening up the diagnostics program and letting it run. _There has GOT to be something installed on my phone that only started glitching once I began using text more often_. Saying softly, “He murdered three people. One of them, a thirteen year old girl. Made each murder scene a locked room mystery, an obvious murder disguised as a suicide scenario, but riddled with clues that supposedly pointed to the next crime scene. I didn’t actually go in person to the scenes themselves, because I already _knew_ it was him behind it.” He paused in writing, thinking. _No. That’s not quite right. I was willing to go myself, for the first time, wasn’t I? Because it was B. He should have been MY responsibility. Watari… he was the one who convinced me to find someone to go in my stead._

 

L glanced at the shinigami. “... I knew he wouldn’t be able to resist being at the scene of his crimes. At the time, I was under the impression he would _kill_ me if I showed up in person. Now I’m positive that was _not_ his goal, but I’m at a loss as to what _exactly_ it might have been.”

 

Ryuk’s expression was blank as he listened to L, not that his thoughts (other than amusement) were usually expressed on his face. “If he’s anything like his old man, he won’t slip up easy. He’s a crafty one, Justin is.” The shinigami had duped the King himself, or at least wormed out of a punishment that should have merited death. Ryuk had always wondered how that groveling session had gone down and wished he could have seen Justin humbled. 

 

He chuckled quietly to himself as L told of Bernael’s ‘crimes’, “That’s some shit ain’t it? Half of what he is….well our purpose is killin,’ make no mistake. The other half is human, and killin’ is against the law.” He shook his head a little, thinking that being pulled in two opposite directions like that would be quite the head job. Shinigami made neither heads nor tails of human morality; to them, humans’ lives were so short anyway it seemed barely worth protesting about if someone died. But by spending more time on Earth, and especially with Light, Ryuk had started to understand slowly why such moral codes had developed over time. It was an odd feeling, perhaps something akin to sympathy, Ryuk was experiencing now at the thought of a half-shinigami’s existence. _No wonder he wanted to commit suicide. There’s no world that wants him_. But mainly, he thought that bringing Berneal here to talk with Light and L might result in an interesting show. 

 

“Monday night, huh? Pretty soon.” Ryuk tapped a talon against his teeth thoughtfully, “‘Course, I don’t know much about him personally, but I wouldn’t underestimate him neither.” His eyes glowed faintly, “Justin is the third most powerful shinigami among us. Dunno what Bernael might have got.” _Don’t be getting Light-o hurt._

 

Nodding, L sighed. “Oh, I already know not to underestimate him. He clearly survived for a long time somehow on his own before Watari found him, or so I have to assume. And just because I didn’t interact with him much, it doesn’t mean I’m not well aware that he’s quite intelligent in his own right. He _was_ supposed to take over for me if I ever died.” 

 

L went quiet again for a long moment, thinking now that there must have been a reason B had chosen his particular victims, aside from their initials. _The initials make sense, but at the same time, the puzzles he made at Wammy’s house… I saw some of them, and they always had multiple layers, multiple purposes and moving parts. There’s still some reasoning there that I’m not privy to. Maybe it doesn’t really matter._

 

He bit his thumbnail as he crouched in front of his laptop, turning his attention to the diagnostics scan. _Nothing out of the ordinary yet. Hmm._ Pulling up his email program, he typed out a quick email to Wedy and Aiber to let them know he had a job for them when they woke up.

 

He turned to look at Ryuk again, voice somber. “Anyway, the last victim turned out to be himself. He locked himself in a room and set himself on fire. The locked room murders were only there to cover up his attempted suicide, and to give me an unsolvable puzzle. The only reason he’s still _alive_ is that Naomi Misora figured out his trick, and who he was, in a manner of speaking, before he could die.” _I’m sure I would have figured it out on my own, if I had gone. But if he wanted my attention…_ Frowning, L said slowly, “Though I still don’t know _why_ , if he wanted my attention so badly, he would try to commit suicide. That... never made sense to me. And seeing as I never visited him to find _out…_ ” 

 

He shrugged. “Anyway, I suppose I don’t really _need_ to know any more about him. I was just curious if there were any tidbits of gossip about him you might have heard, even if it seemed irrelevant.”

 

Ryuk sat there quietly, searching his mind for anything else he knew, but really there wasn’t much. “If I were in the Realm I could tell you more about him, watch him. But I’m tied to the Death Note and Light now and can’t go that far. Maybe when he’s here, I can see...what I can see.” Ryuk would leave it vague like that because outright aiding them might be dangerous or tricky for him, and he couldn’t make any promises.

 

L frowned for a moment, staring at Ryuk once the shinigami had finished speaking, and sighed. It felt like Ryuk was being purposely vague, but maybe that was just his paranoia talking. _It was worth a shot, but if he can’t tell me something, I’ll trust it’s for a good reason._ Quietly, he asked, “How much can you tell me about what powers Justin has? I would assume that B received more than _just_ the eyes if he has an immunity to the Death Note.”

 

Ryuk hummed to himself nervously, not knowing whether it was really kosher to talk about the powers of other (and especially more high-ranked) shinigami with humans. “Um…” His eyes strafed around the room, looking beyond the walls and as far out as his x-ray vision could see. _They could be watching me, Justin could even be. There’s no way to know._ There were no rules that Ryuk _knew_ of against doing so, but that still didn’t preclude Justin coming down and kicking his ass. 

 

He flew a little closer to L, hovering right next to him so he could whisper softly, “Justin is covered in...I guess to your eyes they would look like jewels. But each are the crystallized souls of mortals that were powerful, or interesting to him. So, he can do that.” _Or his enemies. I don’t wanna join ‘em._ “He can control fire to some extent, travel to worlds I can’t. Read minds, if they aren’t too foreign to him.” It was one of the main uses of Justin to the King, that ability. Shinigami minds were as transparent as glass; Ryuk didn’t know about human ones. “But a lot of the things Justin can do were rewards of rank, so Bernael might not get ‘em, inherit ‘em.” He shrugged, it was all he knew, other than…”But all shinigami are immune to the Death Note.”

 

The way that Ryuk was acting was giving L anxiety. _Should I not have asked about Justin’s powers?_ he thought, wide eyes following the shinigami as he flew close to whisper to him. The information Ryuk was relaying was enough to make his hands still on the keyboard, his mind racing with the possibilities. _He can convert the souls of mortals into jewels. I wonder what kind of boost that gives him? Is that another form of immortality, or just creating baubles out of powerful people?_ As for the rest…

 

“I… hope I never meet this shinigami,” L said very quietly, shooting a look up at Ryuk. _If he can control fire…_ He frowned hard at that before closing his eyes, recalling what the report had said about B’s injuries; he’d made sure they were redacted for a reason at the time, but what was it? _Because he should never have survived that fire_ , a tiny voice in the back of his head piped up. He opened his eyes wide again, staring hard at the screen but not seeing it. “Holy shit. B should have been _dead_. He used gasoline to fuel the flames.” Turning his head to Ryuk, L continued in a hushed voice, “Gasoline burns so hot, he would have been _incinerated_ , it would have destroyed everything the body needs to survive a trauma like that. There is absolutely _no way_ he should have survived with only third degree burns. I remember questioning the doctors who said they found traces of gasoline, I just assumed they were idiots who had made a mistake.” _Maybe they didn’t._ This was going to be much more interesting than he had thought.

 

Ryuk shifted from foot to foot, because there was something else he wanted to say after hearing that Bernael shouldn’t have survived the fire. _Eh, easier to just show him._ “Lawli...watch.” He let his long knives snick out from one hand, holding out his other hand between them. Taking a deep breath, he plunged the knives into his wide black palm, wincing as he yanked them back quickly. He hissed a curse in shinigami tongue, “Tae hovak y’je…” as black blood pooled in his palm, but the wound only bled for a moment before the skin knit itself back together. In the span of 30 seconds, Ryuk’s hand looked like nothing had happened. 

 

L winced as he watched Ryuk stab his own hand, biting his lip as he glanced quickly at the shinigami’s face. _Why would you hurt yourself just to show me something?_ he thought, watching as the wound closed up near instantly. But that was the point right there, he realized, sucking in a harsh breath as he thought back to his initial reaction to B’s injuries. _Does he have a similar ability? Maybe…_ But he shook his head, frowning. B’s doctors would have told him if the man had shown such healing properties; he had _expressly_ told every staff member at that facility to keep him updated on any changes, and he had heard nothing in the two years or so since B had been incarcerated. _Maybe the doctors really were just idiots. Or maybe there’s another reason you don’t want to think about._

 

“That’s also something shinigami can do. Whether a half-breed can too, I dunno.” Ryuk clenched his hand and flapped backwards, perching on the piano with his back turned to L. “Only shinigami can hurt true shinigami. Breaking rules, letting our life span run out, you know the other ways. Fire might ‘a eventually killed him if somebody didn’t put it out, though.”

 

“Thank you for showing me that, Ryuk,” L said, sighing as he watched Ryuk turn away from him. _Why…?_ “You shouldn’t have hurt yourself just to give me that information. But… it’s definitely useful information to _have_.” That reminded him of something he’d had a passing thought about on Friday, though, and he turned to his laptop to pull up a recent map of the world. “Actually, while I’m thinking of it, where was it you said his mother still lives?” _Wow, in all the excitement of everything, I completely forgot to ask him. Now I’m kind of glad I woke up early._  

 

Ryuk glanced over at the bowl of apples, wanting one now to soothe the anxiety he felt spilling secrets. “Bernael’s mother...dunno too much about her ‘except she had some human magic that let her survive the, uh, joining with Justin. Show me a map and I can point to where she was back then. Might not be accurate anymore though.”

 

L pulled up the clearest image he could find. _Now I really need to find this woman and speak to her. If she knew of magic to help her survive, that means this has DEFINITELY happened before._ “Sorry. I got distracted by… everything. Is this map good enough?” He paused, and then added, “I’m sorry if I put you in a tough position just now. I’ll get you your apples once we’re done with this conversation, one way or another, promise.”

 

Ryuk sat there for a few seconds before turning back around to look at the map, studying it from his perch until he finally found some landmarks that looked vaguely familiar. Flapping over, he pointed to an area in northern Romania. “Roundabout here. But that was a while ago. She could be somewhere else now.”

 

A chill went through L, and he made a mental note of the name of the area and potential location of B’s mother before closing down the map. “Thank you. This gives me at least a place to start. Whether she’s still there or not… it’s better than nothing.” Standing up, he said, “I believe I promised you some apples. Let me order those up for you before I get to work. I’m afraid it’s going to be boring busy work this morning, but I’ll take a break later and play a game or two with you. Sound good?” He smiled back over his shoulder at the shinigami as he went into the kitchen to put on some coffee and place the room service order.

 

\---

 

Light stretched lazily in bed, yawning as he slowly opened his eyes to look for L. Sleepily, “Mmmmm… L, I had the best sleep. Did you--” He trailed off as he realized that L wasn’t in bed with him, sighing as he sat up against the headboard. _One day I’m going to get him to sleep through the night so we can wake up together._ The pleasant smell of coffee was wafting in from the kitchen, and he even without looking in there he was sure that L was up with his laptop doing work. His head felt slightly too small for his brain, a throbbing reminder that he should go get some water. He pushed up off the bed and wandered into the bathroom, gasping softly at his state in the mirror as he filled a cup and drank. “Holy shit… ” The lipstick _all_ over his body and the memory of the night before made him smile before he splashed some water on his face and cleaned the most egregious mess off himself. 

 

Heading into the kitchen, he grinned as his prediction was correct-- L was crouched on the couch, typing away on his laptop while Ryuk was engrossed in some game. “Morning beautiful.” He sat next to L, draping an arm around him and kissing him on the cheek. “What’s a man gotta do to get you to wake up with me, hmm?” 

 

L glanced up when Light addressed him, a bright flush blooming on his cheeks at the compliment. “Morning, Light,” he said softly, lips curving up in a smile as he turned his head to kiss Light’s nose, reaching up to stroke his fingers gently against the teen’s jaw. “I’m sorry, I woke up early from a nightmare or something. I don’t know. Decided to do some work.” 

 

“A nightmare?” Light shifted around to sit behind L on the couch, legs dangling on either side as he embraced L around the middle. “And here I was hoping I could give you _better_ sleep, not worse.” 

 

 _Maybe I shouldn’t have said that,_ L thought, biting his lip and turning his head slightly to see Light’s face, unable to stop himself from smiling as he settled back comfortably into the embrace. “I wouldn’t worry too much, Light, I guarantee it has nothing to do with you,” L reassured him softly. “Every so often, I just randomly get night terrors. I can’t remember the dreams when I wake up, so…” He hesitated slightly, wondering if that was maybe some sort of medical issue he should look into, but… _No, I don’t have time to be dealing with that right now. Maybe when things get less crazy, I’ll try to figure out why I can’t ever seem to sleep._  

 

“Maybe once you feel safe in real life, you’ll feel safer in your dreams too.” Light kissed L’s neck, chuckling softly at the presence of the collar. “The key’s in my pants pocket by the way. Better take it off before we go down to the team.” _Although I’d much prefer you didn’t, but it would cause complications, I’m sure._

 

A shiver went through L when Light kissed his neck, a pang of surprise going through him at the suggestion that his nightmares stemmed from not feeling safe. _Why did I never think of that? He’s right. But… I do feel safe with YOU, Light_. Biting his lip, he merely nodded at Light’s suggestion before adding, “Yes, I’ll need to lose the collar. I also wanted to have a _proper_ shower before we go down, I don’t want to deal with Aizawa’s shit today unless it’s absolutely necessary.” He smirked at that.

 

Light nuzzled into L’s neck before standing up to go into the kitchen and pour himself some coffee. Noticing his phone on the kitchen counter, he picked it up as he sipped. _Some new text messages from L?_ He gave L a curious look from the kitchen as he opened them, his throat going dry as he stared down at his phone. 

 

L snickered to himself and saved his work, pulling up the beta website to see what the new changes had done, and waiting to hear Light’s reaction to the-

 

“Oh wow. I’m _very_ sorry I missed that.” Light giggled as he saved the pictures L had sent him in a password-protected folder, heart pounding a little faster at how _hot_ L had looked. Going back to sit beside L, he gave him a sly look, “Thank you for the pictures, but are you _trying_ to make it where I can’t focus on anything but fucking you silly?” He took a small sip of coffee before adding, “I’m already having trouble enough with that.”

 

A thrill went through L, and he quickly brought his mug up to his mouth (his third one of the morning… _I should probably stop drinking coffee after this one_ ) to hide his smile as Light came to sit back down beside him. He gave the teen a sidelong glance and put the mug back down, unable to hide the way he was beaming as he said in a faux innocent voice, “Just wanted to preserve the memory for you, that’s all. You, uh. Quite _liked_ the way I looked last night.”

 

L leaned in to kiss him properly, and pulled away slowly. “By the way, I’m working on coding that website we talked about yesterday. I want to try and get the bulk of it done before we go ahead and go live with it, I want to have it up and running as soon as possible. What do you think so far?” 

 

After that delicious kiss, Light rested his chin on L’s shoulder, gazing at the laptop screen as L started to describe the website he’d been coding. 

 

L pulled up the main page, pointing out various features. “I figured the main page would have Kira’s message, like a manifesto or mission statement, or whatever you want to call it, and only that. I’ve got a separate page, right-” _click_ “- _here_ , for confessionals, just a place for people to read stories of how Kira has impacted other peoples’ lives… A message center here-” _click_ “-for people to _leave_ their stories, and a social media sidebar with an algorithm to pick up any mention of Kira on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, among other platforms, and this _last_ one, which is taking the most time.” Clicking into the last page, L laughed a little. “It’s rudimentary so far, but this would be the message boards. I have a lot more work to do here to make them functional.”

 

Light couldn’t help but grin in delight as L went over each feature, his grip tightening around L’s stomach in his excitement. “Yes! This is incredible, L...and perhaps we could also have a place for news stories, backgrounds on the criminals Kira has targeted and _why._ ” That was something important to him, given the mystery surrounding any accidental or suspicious death now. He wanted people to see Kira’s works and understand them. 

 

L had already been feeling pretty proud of himself for getting so much done, but hearing how excited Light was over it was something else. Even though he hadn’t thought along exactly the same lines as Light did, it seemed he had thought of almost everything. The pleased flush on his cheeks deepened as L snuck a glance back at the teen, and he asked breathlessly, “You think so?” He laughed at himself when he realized what he was doing. _Quit fishing for more praise, dork, he doesn’t need to say it again._

 

Light nodded excitedly, “It’s brilliant! The media’s always wondering...did Kira kill this person, that person? In some cases, it might be best to take the mystery out of it, claim responsibility.” He would have to think about that, because not all deaths would be strategic to make known as his doing. “It goes without saying that this website needs to be well buried, untraceable and able to be deleted at the touch of a button.” The more he thought about it, the more he felt they’d need someone to check in on this website constantly, someone they could trust. The message boards were a terrific idea but they’d need to be monitored to make sure nothing was posted there they didn’t want. 

 

Turning to look at Light fully, L smiled slightly, commenting, “Of course! This is just a beta site where I test everything, work out any bugs in my code, et cetera. It can only be accessed by this computer right now… and this way you can tell me if you want particular fonts or colors, images, anything.”

 

Light laughed low, “It seems Kira will be needing a publicist. I’ll have to keep my eyes open for candidates.” It was excellent work so far, and he was impressed that L had done so much so fast. 

 

Laughing, “I hope you don’t mind me taking the initiative to set it up while you were asleep, then?” L watched Light’s face closely, unable to contain his satisfaction over the way things were progressing so far. 

 

“Of course not! The website is _fantastic_ , thank you for getting a head start on it.” It was gratifying to see how many of Light’s own desires for such a website had been anticipated by L. _We really are in tune, partners in this._

 

Turning back to his laptop, L pulled up his note program to jot down Light’s suggestion. “Okay. You said you want to claim responsibility for some of the criminal deaths... like a trophy wall, almost? It’s… absolutely doable, though you might have to explain in greater detail what you want, or _you_ can work on that page if you like. Some other time, though, I want to show you something special. Look at _this_.”

 

L opened up his coding program, grinning from ear to ear again, highlighting a particular passage for Light. He was _especially_ proud of this little bit of code; anyone who only dabbled wouldn’t know what they were looking at, but anyone at _his_ skill level and above would recognize at least _part_ of the algorithm he’d written in. The background program would always be running, automatically saving the site exactly as it was every hour, and sending the mirrored pages to his own secure server. It would _also_ serve as a backup in case they ever had to, as Light had suggested, tear the site down for any reason. _And my personal favourite part_ , he thought, glancing at Light’s face as the teen scanned over the highlighted code. “Can you tell me what you see?”

 

Turning his attention back to the website, Light scanned the lines of code that L was bringing up on the screen. A slow grin spread across his face, “Hmmm. You really do play dirty, don’t you? Hackers get redirected to random memes and ultimately to… oh my god…” He mimicked a hack over L’s shoulder and burst into laughter as a rendition of Denis Nedry’s ‘nah ah ah, you didn’t say the magic word’ from Jurassic Park flashed onto the screen, replaced with a gothic script ‘L’ and L’s metallic robot voice instead of Nedry’s face. Giggling loudly, Light squeezed L around the middle and planted a wet kiss on his cheek. “That’s perfect!” 

 

 _Well, at least it’s good to know my coding skills are impressive,_ L thought to himself, cackling over Light’s reaction to his devious little trick. “What can I say,” he laughed, feeling gratified that _someone,_ at least, liked his sense of humor. “I love my memes, and Jurassic Park was my favorite movie as a kid, I couldn’t NOT do it.” _And you impressed me once again just by figuring out what I did._

 

Light snickered, “The only thing that I would add would be a worm into their spell-check that inserted bad puns at random. Forever.” _Are we really this evil? Yes. Yes we are._

 

At Light’s suggestion, L twisted around slightly to look at him with a shocked, wide eyed look before grinning wickedly. “Oh, now why didn’t _I_ think of that? You are perfectly _evil_ , wanting to infect people’s computers with terrible puns.” Laughing, he leaned forward to press a kiss to Light’s lips, chuckling against them as he said, “I _love_ it. And _you_.” He turned back around to face forward, leaning against Light and bringing the teen’s arms tighter around him for a moment before resting Light’s hands on the keyboard. “Would _you_ like to do the honors?” _Oh, wait, that might be dangerous_ , L thought, breath catching slightly as he realized that letting Light add his own code to what L had already put in might be… especially pressed against him like this as he watched… well, it might be a bit of a turn on.

 

Light smiled into the kiss when L turned around, pulling the man closer to his chest. L’s words made him blush happily, and he murmured back, “I love you too. It’s hard to top what you’ve already set up but...if you insist.” 

 

“Flatterer,” L murmured with a giggle, nearly breathless at how quickly Light set _right_ to his task. _How is he so good at EVERYTHING?_

 

Light laughed as L moved his hands to the keyboard, and in an instant his fingertips were flying across the keys and flitting through the code-- polishing, adding, inserting in the recursions and redirects needed for his particularly evil addition. He hummed to himself when he got to the portion for inputting the puns. _Why not make them hacker related and really rub salt in the wound?_ An evil little chuckle passed his lips as he added them: ‘ _looks like your bark was worse than your byte_ ’.... ‘ _hope you find a real Gig soon_ ’.... ‘ _sorry you couldn’t hack it_ ’... ‘ _looks like you got the boot disk_ ’.... ‘ _your lack of skills is a terminal illness_ ’....On and on he went, laughing harder against L’s back until he was finally finished and saved the new lines of code. Barely able to speak through his wheezing self-amusement, “There, how about that? Do you think that will be infuriating enough?”

 

L gaped when Light started adding puns. It wasn’t long before he was _crying_ with laughter, murmuring suggestions into Light’s neck when he thought of something, and otherwise just reading the funnier ones out loud. “Oh my _god_ , if I were hacking into this site, I would be _so fucking pissed_ ,” L wheezed, immediately shoving his laptop to the side and turning around again to kiss Light thoroughly, unable to help himself. His fingers were twisting into Light’s hair as he pulled out of the kiss enough to murmur against the teen’s lips, “I shouldn’t have let you do that. Who would have thought watching you writing insulting hacker puns into my code would be so _hot_?” 

 

“Thought you might like that.” Light kissed L through their giggles, squeezing him one more time.

 

L’s phone beeped at him, and he squirmed away to pick it up, smiling when he saw that it was a message from Wedy.

 

“ **Secured a location for you to use. Working on debugging and security protocols now. Will be triple checking everything. Will message you when everything is complete. Should be ready by tomorrow morning at the latest.** ”

 

Light read Wedy’s text over L’s shoulder, slightly puzzled until it clicked what L had mentioned last night about bringing B here as he’d suggested. He had been distracted with the concert (not to mention being slightly intoxicated), but he swallowed hard at the thought that soon Beyond Birthday--notable serial killer and supposed half-shinigami-- would be in Japan.

 

“Perfect,” L murmured. He showed it to Light, explaining, “I asked her when she Wired me around seven to secure me a safe room where we can move Beyond. I’m going to have Aiber leave around lunch time to take my private plane to Los Angeles to retrieve him. With that time frame, he should be here in Japan tomorrow evening at the very earliest, which will _also_ give Wedy some extra time on the off chance something goes wrong with the safe room.” 

 

Light sighed, “He’ll be here tomorrow evening? So soon.” And at the same time, not soon enough. Beyond could be the key to neutralizing Rem’s threats if they could get him to cooperate, and Light couldn’t keep Misa at bay forever. Sighing, “It won’t be easy to get Beyond to listen to us, will it?” But he knew that the both of them could be _very_ persuasive if they wanted to be. “We’ll just have to make him listen.” There was too much at stake-- the lives of the people Light loved, if not his own. 

 

L nodded. “I _expect_ him to be here Tuesday morning, in all honesty. Tomorrow evening is an optimistic guesstimate… if nothing goes wrong, if the weather doesn’t make things difficult for the pilot, or the people running the facility Beyond is in don’t decide to make life difficult for Aiber. But… he’ll be assuming my identity for dealing with them in person, so it shouldn’t be too demanding.” Setting his phone aside, he tugged Light’s arms around him again and pressed a kiss to his cheek. More subdued, “I don’t anticipate us being able to get Beyond to cooperate until at least the end of the week. I’m probably going to have to make a lot of concessions to even get him to listen to me. But…” _Who knows?_ “We’ll see, I suppose. Making _any_ sort of assumption is probably setting us up for failure.”

 

Light quieted as L relayed the plans for bringing Beyond here, and it made him anxious in a way he couldn’t put his finger on. It had been his suggestion after all, and Light still knew it was the best option to press Beyond into helping them. But this person was a wild card he didn’t know, couldn’t control, and that made him nervous. “That all sounds good, L, but...is there a police dossier or file I can read about him? I feel like I need to get up to speed on the case that you were involved in with him. I’m sure you remember perfectly, but…” But what? “...I have a feeling that whatever he’s done will come to bear on what he might do for us. I want to make sure I know as much as possible before we speak to him.”

 

Falling quiet, L stared thoughtfully at his laptop screen, chewing on his bottom lip. Most of the time, when a case was over and done, he uploaded everything to his private server, and that was that. One never knew when information from an old case would help with a new one, after all. There were really only a _few_ times when he had ever felt compelled to delete something from the server; in the early days, everything had been uploaded directly to the server, including his case against Truize and all ensuing documented evidence, only for him to move every single _one_ of those files to his personal hard drive after he had _lost_ the case and vowed to bring the man to justice, no matter _what_ it took (... suffice it to say, Watari had _never_ been privy to just how _deep_ L’s vendetta had run). But with the LA case… 

 

“So…” he said, keeping his voice casual. “... I _may_ have had to download all of the files about Beyond to my hard drive while the LA case was ongoing. I noticed that everything about him was starting to disappear from my server and had to move quickly to save as much as I could before it was all gone. I’ve got a folder with most of the documentation on what he did at Wammy’s… progress reports, incident reports, behavioral profile, et cetera. And I made sure to save the original report Naomi wrote up, the one that _didn’t_ get redacted to hell and back.” _Man. At first I thought Beyond himself had hacked into my server, but now... I’m thinking it was Watari who was deleting that information._

 

The mention that L had had to retrieve files off of his server before they were deleted was disconcerting to Light. “That’s...odd.” How many people had access to that server? He knew it couldn’t have been many more than L and Watari...perhaps Aiber and Wedy, maybe. But he’d let it slide for now. He was slightly hesitant to force L to grapple with too much about Watari’s motives too fast, and there was little to be gained from it in this moment other than a heightened vigilance that L already seemed to recognize was needed. “But, yes, whatever is available I’d be interested to read over. I don’t like going into situations blind.” He felt a little tense from the mention of Naomi, it bothered him slightly to make use of her notes even if he’d do it without hesitation if it meant gaining some insight. _Have you forgiven me, L?_

 

“Yeah.” L was silent for a moment, chewing on his lip. “I’ll… pull up the files for you to read before we go down, then. And it should be noted that I’ve already made sure that both Aiber and Wedy use Wire to contact me from now on, especially since…” His expression darkened. “I, uh, ran a scan on my phone earlier and found a program hidden in the code that mirrors every text or picture I send.” 

 

Light stilled, processing what that meant. _Someone’s spying on L’s phone, watching his messages._ He let out a long breath, “That’s not good, L. You and I both know there’s not too many people who could have done that to your phone.” In fact, Light could only think of one person with both the access and motivation to spy on L’s phone. _Watari_. 

 

Nodding, L said in a low voice, “Only Watari. None of the others have ever even _touched_ my phone.” He hesitated and sighed, face flushing. “Which means he most definitely saw our, uh... _conversation_ from Wednesday night.” _And the sexting on Thursday night. AND that picture._

 

“Oh shit…” Light buried his face in L’s neck, face aflame to think the older man had been privy to that exchange. At least they had used Wire for some of it, the worst parts as he recalled. It wasn’t possible to mirror that due to the encryption. “That’s it then. He really doesn’t trust us.” _Doesn’t trust me._ He spoke slowly as he worked out what they could do, “We shouldn’t let on we know, but like you said...anything important goes through Wire.” He let his head fall to L’s shoulder, whispering, “ _Fuck…_ ” because he’d hoped his suspicions and intuition wouldn’t turn out to be true. 

 

Turning his head to kiss Light’s cheek again, L said softly, “Yeah, you were right.” _Don’t know why he needs to read my private messages, but whatever. We already know our way around THAT._ Even though the discovery of that program had hurt, and even as angry as the invasion of privacy made him, he really couldn’t help when he started giggling. “Well… if we’re going to continue on like I don’t know what he’s doing, then I guess the old man is going to have to deal with my filthy texts, because I really want to just fuck with him now. What do you think?” 

 

Light smiled deviously against L’s cheek, “Well, I noticed that the picture of you looking rather...compromised wasn’t sent over Wire. Think Watari’s having a nice morning after seeing that?”

 

L shook his head and said with a smug smirk, “Nope! Bet he’s wishing he had some brain bleach.”

 

Light laughed quietly, pressing a kiss against L’s jaw. “Should be a fun first day in the office.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For anyone who hasn't seen/needs a refresher on the Dennis Nedry/Jurassic Park thing (or just wants to rewatch it!): https://youtu.be/RfiQYRn7fBg 😂


	44. Hot Tea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Light has his first day at the Kira HQ office with L and meets the team. Watari has a proposition for Kira he wants kept secret from L.

_“Should be a fun first day in the office.”_

 

L laughed, snuggling back into Light’s embrace to just enjoy this moment of closeness before they had to go back to the _real world_ , relieved that they _could_ laugh about the situation. He knew that he was going to have to deal with the Watari situation eventually, find out exactly _how much_ that man could truly be trusted, but there now seemed to be _so_ much to do in so little time that he was just trying to figure out how to cram it all in. Finally, L sighed, reaching for the laptop one more time and pulling up all the files on Beyond for Light to go through later. _Better to do it now before I forget._ “I guess… I guess we really _should_ behave, then. And _I_ still need that shower.” _Fuck, why do I do this to myself?_

 

Light could tell that L had already had one shower this morning-- he still smelled like soap. “Two showers? Is that how dirty I made you?” He laughed quietly into L’s shoulder because he loved the idea of L just being filthy because of him. “I’ll join you but it will have to _just_ be a shower. Else I won’t be able to focus today.” Any ‘fun’ would have to wait until after they met with the task force and saw his father, Light really didn’t want to meet the man’s eyes just having…

 

L could only pout up at Light; he’d been hoping for… “Aww, but that’s no fun.” _Damn, he knows me too well._ A giggle left him as he reluctantly pulled out of Light’s arms, adding, “I get it, though. I mainly just need to wash my hair, so… I suppose I can hold off on climbing you like a tree just this _once…_ ”  He reached for his coffee mug and drained it, standing up and staring down at Light with a tiny grin on his face. “Looks like you’ll need to take this collar off me, hmm?”

 

Light snorted when L said he wanted the collar removed, he’d had gotten used to seeing it, playing with it... _grabbing it._ He adjusted himself as he stood up too, trying not to let his mind wander to what he _really_ wanted to be doing this morning. “Um, yes I think you should take it off, because every time I look at it my pants suddenly seem too tight.” He grinned to himself as he walked into the bedroom and fished the key out of the pants he’d worn the night before. _Oh god, these pants are filthy. I’m leaving a bag of laundry for the maid while we’re meeting the team._

 

“Considering how tight most of your pants already _are_ , I’m going to take that as a compliment,” L said with a smirk, glancing down quickly at Light’s pants before trailing after the teen into the bedroom, turning towards the bathroom immediately. “You coming?”

 

Light followed L into the bathroom, leaning in to give the leather band one more kiss before unlocking it and removing it from L’s neck. But underneath, the skin of L’s neck was practically _layered_ with superficial bruises at various stages of fading. “Oh hell.” Light breathed out hard, staring for a long moment before getting into the shower quickly, determined that they would behave and focus on work (or really, their plans) until they were able to alone again later. _I’m going to have a hard enough time being close to him and unable to touch him with other people around, better not make it worse._

 

Turns out, that made for a very quick, efficient shower. He pulled on the clean set of nice clothes that Ryuk had brought them the night before, humming as he gathered up their various dirty laundry. “I’ll assume that you want your clothes washed too?” _They’re practically stiff so I think we better._ Light held up L’s jeans for a moment but didn’t wait for an answer before stuffing them into the laundry bag too. 

 

Hair still dripping, L couldn’t help laughing as he watched Light gathering up all of the laundry, tugging on his own clean clothes. “Yeah, sure, just throw anything we’ve already worn in there. I’m sure the rest of my things are downstairs, so I’ll just move everything up here at the end of the day.” _And hopefully Watari brought all the old clothes in the back of the closet, I don’t want to lose what’s in there._ Especially the childhood toy he had hidden among the clothes.

 

“When are they expecting us to come down and meet them? I’m a little anxious to meet everyone and...maybe get use of the resources of L.” Light smiled sheepishly, but L’s databases and intel would be huge assets to them now. 

 

L sat down on the end of the bed, smiling to himself at the expression on Light’s face. He looked over to the clock and said, “Depends on if you’d rather get something to eat when we get down there, or if you’d like something now? I didn’t give anyone a time estimate on when we would meet them, so anytime is good.” Actually, he _was_ getting a little antsy to get down there now, as well. He had done as much as he conceivably _could_ do on the website, and he was quite interested to see everyone else’s reactions to Kira’s actions over the weekend. _And maybe make sure Matsuda didn’t blab about seeing me at the show last night._

 

“And if you really want to go down now, we can maybe make a quick stop at the pastry shop so I can at least get something to eat?” L asked with a teasing smile, reaching up to comb his fingers through his still slightly damp hair. He stood up and left the bedroom, making sure he had his phone and the keycard in his pocket before pausing. “Erm. Hmm. I guess I should probably not flaunt your handiwork around the others today, should I?” _Where did I leave my scarf?_ Glancing around the living room, L spotted his scarf thrown across one of the chairs, and plucked it up daintily. Hearing Ryuk’s loud cackles at his game, L grinned. “Hey, Ryuk… you’re coming with us, right? I imagine watching the Kira task force at work with Kira in its midst will be highly entertaining.”

 

Ryuk chuckled, tossing the game controller behind him as he floated over to meet L and Light at the door. “I go where Light goes, but yep, I wouldn’t miss _that._ ” 

 

Light took his backpack with him, stuffed with a few apples that he could sneak Ryuk if they were there for a while. He gave L an approving smile when the man put on the scarf; it couldn’t have looked more out of place but it was adorable anyway. But he couldn’t help but poke a little fun, “L, you told me they _already_ saw the bruises when you went in last week. They’ll _know_ what’s up.” 

 

L glanced up, giving Light a somewhat disgruntled look before saying loftily, “Yes, well, knowing what’s up or not, if anyone decides to compare the bruises on my neck with, say, the length and width of your hand - or rather, your _grip_ \- it would be a bad idea. _._ We shouldn’t give them any _reason_ to suspect _you’re_ the source.” 

 

Light laughed softly as he moved to embrace and kiss L one last time, savoring their last moments of a glorious weekend. He pulled back after a briefer moment than he’d like, but knew he couldn’t get distracted. “I’m going into this mostly blind, so I’ll have to rely on you regarding what to say. Do they know I was a suspect?” In that kind of situation, Light would just keep his mouth shut for the most part and listen at first, getting overall impressions of the people L had working for him. It had also occurred to him that they hadn’t decided on what to do about where Light would stay--- here in the hotel, or back with his family at home? _I’ll just see how much I can get away with, what feels safe to do and what the rest of the team is doing._ Whatever he ended up doing going forward, he was definitely going to angle to stay tonight. _We still haven’t watched a certain video._

 

That sweet kiss was far too short, and L sighed when Light pulled away, looking down again with a sheepish smile as he admitted, “I guess we maybe should have spent a little more time this weekend actually getting you up to speed. It’s difficult to think about anything but _sex_ when I’m around you.” Oh well, it couldn’t be helped now.

 

He ushered Light and Ryuk out the door, and kept up a soft, halting commentary as they made their way to the elevator, and then inside. “Yes, they know that I suspected you, but don’t worry, I’ve got a plan. We’ll play all of that by ear. But it would also be prudent to have a plan for while you’re at school.” A brief grin crossed his face as they rode down to the shops in the lobby. “Obviously, I shouldn’t bother you while you’re actually in class, unless you text me for a distraction, but I can always send you updates at certain times, that way you can stay up to date on what’s happening at Kira HQ.” 

 

They stopped by the pastry shop as well as a real cafe in the lobby to pick up lunch, and while Light felt slightly rude not bringing lunch for all the team members, he wasn’t sure what any of them would want (other than his father). L lapsed into silence when they were in the pastry shop and the cafe, smiling in amusement at his own devious thoughts. Cakes and donburi in hand, they walked together (but not too closely, since the team was staying here too now) and paused outside the door to one of the lower-floor suites. Turning to L, “Ready when you are.” 

 

It was really too bad that they hadn’t had a chance to talk about where Light was planning on _staying_ , L mused to himself as they approached the door to Watari’s suite and the team’s new headquarters. “I’m as ready as is possible to be, under the circumstances,” he said with a short laugh. He studied Light’s face for a moment, wishing he could kiss the teen, but this really wasn’t the time. _Or the place_ , he thought wryly, knocking to announce his presence and then pushing the door open. The first thing he heard was Matsuda’s voice animatedly saying _something_ very loudly. _And it starts._ The commentary paused, and then Matsuda himself appeared, an excited look on his face.

 

Light smoothed his clothes as L knocked, mentally focusing on shifting gears back to his practiced, perfect facade. When the door opened, he gave the man he recognized as Matsuda a congenial smile and hoped that he didn’t recognize Light from the concert.

  
  
“Ryuzaki-san, I wasn’t sure when you would get here, I- oh, h-hello,” the rookie stammered, catching sight of Light slightly behind L.

  
  
“Ahh… yes, well,” L said, taken slightly aback by the man’s apparent excitement to see him. He stepped past Matsuda, who was currently looking curiously at Light, and into the main room. “Good afternoon everyone. I believe some introductions are in order for the newest member of the team.”

 

Matsuda was pointedly staring, eyes following them into the suite as he paced in behind L. _It’s probably to be expected that they know I’m a suspect, given L’s surveillance. Everyone will be surprised but my father._

 

In the spacious main room, there were desks lined up with multiple monitors hanging from the walls and ceiling, each displaying different datasets, newsfeeds, or video surveillance. He met his father’s eyes across the room and grinned at how the older man beamed at him and got up right away. “Hi, Dad.” Of course, no introductions were needed, but he reached to shake his father’s hand anyway. “Excuse me, I mean, Chief Yagami.”

 

A tall, muscular man, who Light thought was the same one that was working security for the concert, looked between him and Ryuzaki with mild puzzlement, eventually standing up and heading over to them. A man with fluffy, wild hair was still ensconced in his desk chair, glaring at him and L with befuddled annoyance and not getting up. _Oh, is this Aizawa? L had mentioned he could be a little difficult._

 

Matsuda was still hovering behind them, and he tapped Light on the shoulder eagerly. “Nice to meet you, I’m Matsuda Touta. We’ve actually met once or twice at the police station when you were helping on cases!” Matsuda thrust out his hand, his earlier confusion overtaken with having someone new and novel to talk to. “Of course, I don’t expect you to remember me.” It was clear he hoped Light did.

 

Light smiled, taking Matsuda’s hand and shaking it. “Light Yagami. And yes, of course I remember you. My father speaks very highly of you Matsuda-san.” He gave a furtive look to L when Matsuda flushed and stammered; relying on him to make further introductions.

 

L nodded to everyone and said, “Good, you know one member aside from your father already. That will make things rather quicker. Everyone, Light Yagami.” A quick glance at Light, and L made a snap decision. “Light-kun, the two members currently in the room who you _haven’t_ met are Aizawa Shuichi, the one with the sour expression back there-” A sarcastic little wave to the man garnered nothing more than an even fiercer glare. “- and Mogi Kanzo. A man of few words.” As Mogi walked up to them, L couldn’t help but grin to himself, remembering his rather… _tipsy_ display in front of Mogi the previous night. _Oh, I hope he doesn’t bring that up. Not exactly my finest moment. But… he probably won’t._ “But definitely big on efficiency.”   
  
_Sour expression?_ Light held in his snicker and instead gave Aizawa a respectful nod. “Looking forward to working with you Aizawa-san.” 

 

Turning to Chief Yagami, L asked, “Where is Watari?” He had expected Watari to be here when he got down but perhaps not…?

 

“Watari took the opportunity while you were not here to do some grocery shopping,” the Chief replied, looking over at his son and frowning slightly. 

 

While L talked quietly with the Chief, Mogi stopped in front of Light, his puzzled expression smoothed over into one of calm dependability as he reached out one big hand to close over Light’s, his voice a low rumble. “Nice to meet you. I’m Mogi.”

 

Light grinned as his hand was eclipsed in Mogi’s giant paw to shake it, “Nice to meet you too, Mogi-san. It’s an honor to be invited to help in this important case and I promise to do my best to be an asset to the team.” He noticed a flicker of recognition in Mogi’s eyes as the man sized him up, but L seemed to be correct that gossip was not Mogi’s style given that he only grunted in the affirmative and left it at that. 

  
Everyone still seemed uneasy though, the elephant in the room being, _why would you invite a suspect onto the case?_ His father’s brow was creased, mustache slightly twitching which Light knew meant that he was holding back some kind of annoyance or worry. It didn’t take long for the Chief to pose the question they’d all been silently wondering.

 

Soichiro gave L a questioning look, “Are you going to explain why Light is on the team, Ryuzaki-san? You never did explain anything when we spoke on Friday.”

  
L shot Light a furtive look, hoping the teen didn’t get angry at him for what he was about to do, and turned to address the room at large. “I approached Light-kun on Friday afternoon to join the task force because during our surveillance, he showed great deductive reasoning, and a strong ability to perform under pressure, both assets one should have if we are to solve this case.” He could see the frown on Soichiro’s face deepening out of the corner of his eye, and had to press his lips together firmly to suppress a grimace. _Sorry, sir._ “I also discovered during that time that there were multiple hacks on Chief Yagami’s police computer. I was finally able to trace one of the hacks to Light-kun’s computer, and was impressed enough with his skills that I decided to recruit him.” He turned to look at Light, a slight upward tilt to his lips now. “After all, what better way to keep an eye on a potential suspect than to keep him close? My absence over the last two days has been spent making sure he is up to speed on everything we currently know about the case, and getting a better impression of him to either allay those suspicions or reinforce them.”

 

“Ryuzaki-san, you mean to tell me you still _suspect_ Light of being Kira?!” Matsuda burst out, eyes wide as he stared between Light and L with a scandalized expression.

 

L shot the rookie a look and was opening his mouth to respond when Aizawa spoke up from where he still sat at his desk, “That seems pretty harsh to me, Ryuzaki. Did you tell _him_ you suspected him, or did you wait until now to drop that information on him?”

 

“I told him first thing,” L said, looking back at Light with a meaningful look before turning back to the room at large. “And the results of my observations so far are inconclusive. So Light Yagami is on the team. Whether he is Kira or not, I am positive he will bring a fresh perspective.” 

 

Other than a slight dilation of Light’s pupils, he remained completely calm and stoic as L lied admirably on his feet. _L, we didn’t decide on this!_ But after the internal shock faded near-instantly, he saw why this route was advantageous for them. For one, it would be the _team_ that would bear witness to the process of proving his innocence rather than them merely taking L’s word for it. _And I get the feeling they don’t fully trust_ **_everything_ ** _L says, even if they trust him overall._ This way they would see with their own eyes. Second, it outed the origin of the known hack with a believable excuse. Third, it meant that Light would be able to spend his _nights_ with L, which was exciting for more than just sex-- Beyond Birthday would be here soon and Light wanted to be present to see those plans unfold.

 

Soichiro sucked in an alarmed breath at the mention that Light had been the one responsible for the hack. “Light! _Please_ tell me that isn’t true. Why in the world would you do that?”

 

Quietly, “I’m sorry, Dad, it’s true.” Light cast his eyes down, looking very penitent and remorseful. _My family are the only ones I hate to lie to._ “I only wanted to help you solve the case and there was nothing in the news, nothing online to work with.” He looked up boldly, fire in his eyes, “I _knew_ I could help figure out what was happening and help you close the case, but I needed information to do that.”

 

Soichiro was looking between L and Light, clearly trying to gauge whether Light was in deep trouble. “And Ryuzaki found out? He contacted you?”

 

Light nodded, his eyes flicking briefly to L’s. “Yes, he confronted me after the entrance exam at To-Oh and I...explained the reasons behind hacking into your computer. We discussed the case at length.” _None of that’s a lie at least._ He smiled faintly at Matsuda and Aizawa’s outbursts, “I know I’m a suspect but that only _increases_ my desire to help, and prove my total innocence.” 

 

“He will, of course, be attending his classes still, but afterward, I will require that Light-kun stay here in the hotel with me so I can keep an eye on him until I am 100% satisfied there are no grounds for suspicion.” _But of course, you know why I REALLY want you to stay with me, don’t you Light?_ L thought, smiling to himself at the reaction that announcement garnered from the others. _We can’t exactly make our plans, or have any fun, if you’re only with me around the task force and then go home at night._

 

Soichiro looked ready to boil over at the assertion that Light would have to stay at the hotel when he wasn’t in school. “Ryuzaki, you cannot simply keep my son a prisoner here! I won’t--”

 

Light put a hand on his father’s arm, cutting him off gently, “It’s alright Dad, I understand why he’s suspicious and if this is what it takes…” He closed his eyes a moment, as if very put-out about the situation but willing to endure it like a proper martyr, “...then I am willing to make sacrifices, just as you and the rest of the team have, for justice.” Opening them again, he looked at each of the team members in turn with resolve, “But make no mistake, I _am_ innocent, and no more Kira than Ryuzaki is.” He gave L a bland smile, bursting inside to laugh at those words and sure his bright eyes betrayed it to L, who knew him well enough by now to see Light’s emotional tells.

 

It was intoxicating, and more than a little exciting, for L to once again watch how easily Light was able to dance around the truth and manipulate everyone. A little bit of genuine irritation here, a dash of fake sincerity there, and that very _real_ determination under everything that tied it all up in a neat little package of the perfect martyr. _Oh, how I love to watch you work, Light._ L didn’t even mind that little _dig_ , because it was true - Light was no more a Kira than _he_ was, now, not after he had gleefully given the teen that first name, not after he had written down the names of the Russian mafia men with such viciousness. _And I would do it all again in a fucking heartbeat._ His little smile widened as he stared at Light, a thrill going through him at Light’s bright-eyed expression, and he gave the teen a tiny nod of understanding before turning away again.

  
Light held L’s gaze for only a moment, watching that sly smile that _could_ have meant anything. _I know what it means. Did you enjoy that L? Being in on the joke?_ He sighed as if pushing aside unpleasant feelings, raising his head with a look of determined professionalism as he sat at an unoccupied desk close to L’s and set his lunch down. Today he needed to mostly listen, appearing _too_ knowledgeable would just seem suspicious and his main goal was to gain information. About the case, the team, and the resources L had here. 

  
“Then it’s settled,” L said, his tone indicating that the discussion was closed, and he moved further into the room, climbing into one of the armchairs and assuming his usual crouch, setting his dessert down on the table beside him.

 

L’s declaration of ‘ _it’s settled’_ was not reflected on the faces of Aizawa or Light’s glowering father, although Mogi seemed unflappable and Matsuda’s shoulders only slumped as if he knew further protests were useless. None of them spoke another word about it. _I have to hand it to you L, you’ve really cowed them._

 

L opened up his unadon bowl and took a bite, speaking through his mouthful, “So. I saw the news about the men in Russia yesterday. What new information have we come up with? Any other Kira activity you can fill me in on? Any pertinent suspicious goings-on I should know about?”

 

“All we’ve been able to come up with so far on the men in Russia is that they were deep in hiding,” Soichiro said with a frown, returning to his desk and pulling up the relevant information on his computer. “The news seems to indicate that they were heads of a smuggling ring, dealing with drugs, but more importantly, human trafficking. Specifically, children.” The man hesitated, a look of conflict on his face as he said that, and L felt for him. _It hurts, doesn’t it? That feeling of relief that horrible men like these are gone by KIRA’S hand challenges your belief that everyone deserves a fair trial, because you know that them being in hiding means they were guilty, and were able to get away with it and do horrible things again, and AGAIN._

  
When they started discussing Kira’s activity over the weekend, Light couldn’t exactly pretend not to know of the Russian murders since it had been all over the international news. These had been some of the world’s most wanted criminals, some of them for a very long time. Still, he gave the proper reactions to the news, somber serious nods and a deep frown upon ‘learning’ of their darker activities. _Good riddance._ It was hard to hide the warm glow he felt inside recalling how exactly they had met their ends, as well as the calculating plans and time he’d spent to get to each of them. He couldn’t help himself from probing innocently, “I wonder how Kira managed to reach them when the police had been looking for years?” What he was really asking was, _how do you think Kira kills? What are your theories?_

 

L’s gaze turned to Matsuda as the rookie hesitantly spoke up. “I know we’re supposed to be bringing Kira down, but if he’s going after criminals like _this_ … are we really going to try and _protect_ people who profit off of human suffering?” Reproachful looks were turned to Matsuda, and the man went red in the face before stammering out, “I know! W-we need make sure criminals get punished legally, but people like _that_ -” He stood up straighter, a determined look on his face even under Aizawa’s withering glare. “- they get _away_ with their crimes and hide from the people who would bring them down. They hide from us, from the police and the government. Maybe in this situation…”   


L’s gaze sharpened and he set his bowl on his knees, glancing aside at Light, heart racing.

  
  
As Matsuda hesitated to put his last thought into words, Aizawa stood up, leaning forward with his fists on his desk and said in a low voice, “Matsuda, _do not_ say it. Kira is a serial killer. It shouldn’t _matter_ that his targets are criminals. They may be despicable, _vile_ human beings, but they still deserve the right to a trial. Otherwise we are no better than _them_.”

 

The subtle conflict in the room was palpable-- like they weren’t really allowed to feel relief over these deaths but felt it anyway. Despite that, the words coming from Matsuda shocked Light, perhaps not the sentiment itself (for it seemed natural to at least question your stance in the face of truly heinous criminals) but the fact that _Matsuda_ had come out and said it. Light watched him with nascent respect because despite his position against Kira and his relative naivety, it took guts to voice that. He caught L’s eye momentarily but said nothing right away, not wanting to arouse any more suspicion than were already upon him. But he filed it away for later. _Matsuda has doubts. Aizawa sees things in black and white._

 

“It’s hard to give people a proper trial if they can’t be found.” Light wanted to glare at Aizawa, staring down at his chirashi instead. _How could you possibly say Kira is no better than these men? If you’d had the power and seen what they were doing, would you be so pious to let people suffer?_ “But of course...Aizawa-san is right. Due process must be observed.” Neither Matsuda nor Aizawa seemed angered or placated; he’d essentially agreed partially with them both without stating what his true feelings were.

 

There was a moment of shivering tension as everyone stared around the room, and then the door opened. L’s gaze swiveled to the entrance quickly, taking in Watari’s laden-down form and the immediate way the elderly man stopped and went still, his expression carefully neutral. “I seem to have returned at an awkward time,” Watari said blandly into the room, that tone bursting the odd bubble of tension as Aizawa sank back into his seat with a frown and Matsuda hurried red-faced to his own desk. “I’ll put on some tea and coffee for anyone who wants some. Ryuzaki, a word in the kitchen, please.”

  
Light looked up when the door opened, a prickle of nerves running down his spine as Watari walked in. 

 

Sighing, L set his food aside and got up, sullenly following Watari into the kitchen. _That_ didn’t sound promising.

  
Light ate his lunch and pretended not to watch L leave the room to speak privately with Watari, instead turning to Matsuda, “Matsuda-san, would you mind showing me how to log into the system?” The younger detective smiled and bustled over right away, his prior discord vanishing at the prospect of being useful to someone.

 

\----

 

Once they were safely away from prying ears, Watari set his bags of groceries down on the counter and began putting things away, nodding towards one of the bags. L waited for a long moment to see if Watari would start speaking, but the man was _infuriatingly_ silent, so, heaving a loud, pointed sigh, L moved to one of the bags and began putting things into the fridge. “I thought you wanted to speak to me, Watari,” he said pointedly, shuffling things around to make room for the strawberries. He paused, sneaking a glance back at the man before stealing a berry.

  
  
“Yes,” Watari replied blandly after a long moment. A pause in his movement caught L’s attention, and he straightened up guiltily as he quickly pocketed the stem, looking at the man. “It’s interesting to me that when I went to collect your things from your suite at the Imperial yesterday, there were certain items that had mysteriously vanished. Most notably your laptop and the hard drive you keep with it.” 

 

 _Shit, I didn’t think that through. Maybe he’ll just think-_  

 

“And I never saw anyone return for anything in the last two days. How is this possible?”

  
  
“Magic,” L said automatically, rolling his eyes as he turned back to the fridge, moving more things into it. “I asked Aiber to pick a few things up for me-”

  
  
“I gave Aiber yesterday off,” Watari interrupted. L shot him a wide-eyed look and didn’t say anything. “I won’t ask why you are lying to me. It’s irksome, but I will let it slide.” He eyed L consideringly, eyes resting for a brief moment on the scarf wrapped incongruously around his neck, and L shifted uncomfortably. Thankfully, Watari didn’t say anything about it, merely finished putting the groceries away before turning to the coffee maker. “Actually, I have a little proposition I wanted to float by Light.”   
  
“What sort of… _proposition_ ?” L asked warily, leaning back against the counter casually. _And why now? Does this have anything to do with the Russian mafia kills?_

  
  
“I reconsidered the decision I made on Friday.” Watari was quiet for another long moment, taking his time to measure out the coffee grounds and setting the machine to brew before turning to L. “I want to give him access to some of my contacts. I’d like to speak to him privately.” Giving his young charge a fatherly smile, he added, “Just to set up some accounts, passwords, and the like. Preferably by the end of the day, if you don’t mind.”

  
  
“Why not right _now_ ?” L asked, voice flat as he stared at the man. Watari chuckled and moved to put on the tea kettle. “No, _really_ , I mean it. He’s right here, and you _clearly_ have no issue asking me to set this up while the task force is _right in the other room_ , so why not, _right_?”

  
  
“L, sarcasm has _never_ become you. Please don’t,” Watari sighed. “But if you insist, be my guest. Send him in.”

  
  
Giving the man an ironic little salute, L pushed himself away from the counter and slouched back into the main room, calling, “Light-kun, Watari wants to introduce himself, your presence has been requested in the kitchen.” _Why do I have a weird feeling about this? What is Watari up to?_ He went back to his seat and picked up his lunch again, stabbing at the eel with a little more ferocity than he’d intended, chewing with a dark glower on his face and lost in his thoughts.

 

\---

 

During the time that Matsuda was ‘helping’ him with his computer (and had managed to nearly spill an entire cup of coffee over the keyboard), Light had been trying to listen for L and Watari’s voices in the next rooms. The problem was that his father was _also_ having an animated phone conversation with his mother in the corner, and it was obvious to Light that she was blessing him out for agreeing to Light’s new housing arrangements.

 

“...y-yes, well, if you’d let me….I know! He’ll still be going to sch--- Well, I hadn’t asked, but I assume Ryuzaki will pay for his meals and….What about his laundry!? Yes, that’s true he likes his shirts ironed but I’m sure the hotel can…..Sachiko, darling, please just trust Ryuzaki and I. He won’t starve or appear rumpled--”

 

Light snickered a little at their exchange, it was heartwarming to hear the evidence of his mother’s care and for Soichiro to have to deal with his mother’s gentle wrath. He’d tell her later that he wouldn’t be a stranger, just that Ryuzaki might _insist_ on coming along too when he visited. 

 

Matsuda exchanged a friendly glance with him as he finished setting Light up with a work email account and Wifi access. Whispering, “It’s alright, I understand how mothers can be.” He gestured with his chin at a framed picture of a tiny but fierce-looking Japanese woman sitting on his desk. “And Mogi lives with his mother, takes care of--” He broke off when Mogi cleared his throat loudly and shot them both a look. Matsuda flushed and stood up, “Well, you should be able to get into everything but the encrypted server databases now. Watari provides the passwords to those on a need to know basis.” He beamed, scratching his hair as he went to bury his nose in a case folder away from Mogi’s frown.

 

“Thank you Matsuda-san.” Light immediately logged into his email, reviewing the pre-populated address book that the team had for all their contacts. _All the team members. L, Watari, Aiber, Wedy._

 

Soichiro finally hung up his phone and walked dejectedly over to Light, sitting down in a chair beside him and speaking quietly, a sheen of sweat on his brow. “Your mother has...insisted on bringing over all your things---properly pressed and laundered---as well as some food. Could you…” He sighed, adjusting his glasses, “...please humor her and make a list of things you want to eat? And all the things you need while Ryuzaki is...while you are Ryuzaki’s guest here.”

 

Aizawa snorted loudly at that, “Guest?! Ha!” He fell silent when the Chief shot him a withering look.

 

Light patted his hand, smiling indulgently, “Of course. I’d say she doesn’t need to go to the trouble, but since she _asked,_ I’ll text her something later, ok?” Quietly, “Don’t worry, I’m fine with this. It’s good to be working with you again. Really.” His father gave him an approving nod and went back to his desk at the same time L finally wandered back out from the kitchen.

 

 _Watari wants to ‘introduce himself’...in there?_ He was somewhat puzzled by the request as well as L’s transparently sarcastic tone, but stood up and headed into the kitchen, curious as to what Watari needed.

 

“You wanted to speak with me Watari?” He kept his expression and tone cordial but Light had no delusions that this was about introductions given the foul mood that L had been plunged into. _That could just be because L pouts when he doesn’t know everything, so I won’t jump to conclusions._

 

Watari looked up as Light entered the kitchen and smiled congenially. “Ah, Light. Good. Wait just a moment, please.” He finished pulling down cups for the coffee and tea, and then turned to the teen, giving him a shrewd look. “I wanted to speak with you privately, though I would have preferred to do so later, when everyone was preoccupied with other things, or gone. I hope you’ll forgive L’s… demeanor.” A sigh left him and he turned away, saying in a very soft voice, “The kitchen is _not_ the best place for this conversation, so if you would follow me, please.” He left the room, casting a glance over the main room to see that everyone was focused on other things, and quietly opened the door into the bedroom, beckoning Light to precede him into the room.

  
Light nodded and followed the older man into one of the bedrooms and sitting in an armchair across from Watari’s desk. Being alone with the man set him slightly on edge as they both held a kind of power over the other; Light had Kira’s power to kill but Watari had full knowledge of that. 

  
Once they were both in, Watari closed the door carefully and moved to his computer, typing in a password as he said quietly, “I wanted to apologize for Friday. For saying I wouldn’t help. I’ve reconsidered since then.” 

 

Light tilted his head slightly at Watari’s apology, and hope swelled inside him. _Yes, this is what I’d hoped for when he first came to me. Maybe we were jumping to conclusions before._

 

A special screen popped up and Watari typed in another password as he continued, “I saw what you did Friday night. With the Russian mafia. Very impressive, that must have taken a lot of work to get all of those names. I’m curious how you managed it - ahh, but I apologize, that isn’t the reason I wanted to speak with you. I’ve decided that, given your level of dedication, I will give you access to some of my contacts. Make things a little easier for you.” He looked back at Light, and gestured to the teen to take a seat at the computer desk. “I can set it up now if you like… but I was hoping you would do me a small favor.”

 

Watari had Light’s _full_ attention now, and he listened closely with a growing smile...until Watari asked for, “A favor?” His eyes narrowed suspiciously as the smile faded to a blank expression, “What _kind_ of favor?”   
  
The look on Light’s face made Watari smile, and he said, “I know you must be wary, after my initial condescension. But it occurred to me that I dismissed what you do for silly reasons.” Sitting down on the bed, Watari folded his hands in his lap, appearing deep in thought for a long moment before he finally spoke again in a very soft voice. “There is a young man who did some very bad things two years ago. He was a student at my orphanage, and originally was being trained to take over for L, but… no-one is quite sure _what_ happened, but he became disturbed and ran away, only to show up two years ago in Los Angeles. He murdered three people trying to get to L, and by all rights, L _should_ have had him executed, but... for whatever reason L felt _guilty_ over what he did and spared his life.” 

 

Looking up at Light, there was steel in Watari’s voice now. “His name is Beyond Birthday. I will give you access to some of my contacts if you use your power as Kira and eliminate him for what he tried to do to L.” He knew it was a calculated risk giving Light this information, but the young man had been infuriatingly hard to silence after the multiple previous attempts on B’s life at his request had failed … and it was obvious now that Light was able to get to people previously thought to be untouchable. _Perhaps Light will be more willing to eliminate B than L was_.

 

Light let the older man take his time mustering up the words, and when he finally heard and _processed_ what Watari was asking for, it felt like the floor of the room dropped from beneath him. His expression remained neutral but inside, his thoughts were in a flurry. _Watari wants Beyond Birthday dead….badly enough to recant his prior stance not to help Kira. WHY? Is this really a coincidence?_

 

Light leaned back in his chair, placidly smoothing out the wrinkles in his pants, “Murdered three people, you say? Hmm, that _does_ sound like he merits Kira’s justice.” He sighed, pretending to be conflicted about going against what had been L’s wishes (namely, keeping Beyond alive). “I would welcome your help Watari, and I know your contacts would be highly useful.” He let the corners of his mouth turn up into as genuine a smile as anyone could fake, “I believe that I can accommodate your request.” _I’ve already written his name once and he didn’t die, what’s another time? Or better yet...I have L fake Beyond’s death when Aiber takes him from the prison. I hope it’s not too late to do that._

 

He drummed his fingers on his crossed knee as if this small favor were of no more consequence than swatting a fly. “What I need is a recent picture of him and the exact spelling of his name. In addition…” Light’s smile became slightly tighter, “As a demonstration of your _goodwill_ , Kira would also appreciate the real name of the drug kingpin El Jefe, and if you have a more recent picture than the one on INTERPOL’s website, that too.” Given the way that Watari was dangling his ‘contacts’ out in front of Light, if they were worth anything, the older man should be able to give him this intel. _Plus, I get something for nothing. No, better than nothing. Something for tricking you, old man._ “Bring me that information, and I’ll do what you ask in the next 24 hours. Does that sound fair?”

 

Watari gave Light a slow smile, and nodded his acquiescence. “If that is all you require to know I am sincere, then consider it done. To make sure none of the others find out, I will have the information to you by the end of the day. Make sure to hang back after everyone else leaves, if you would.” Watari began to type in a string of random letters and numbers before adding, “If you please… I would appreciate it if you keep this from L. He has quite a lot on his plate, and… It would only make him feel more at fault. He sleeps little enough as it is, I would rather not burden him with anything more for the time being. He doesn’t need to know.” Glancing back, “I’m sure you understand.”  
  
He turned back to his computer and said, “I will be out in five minutes to bring in coffee and tea. Please let everyone else know.”

 

\----

 

While Light had been speaking with Watari _(in one of the bedrooms - Watari, what are you doing that you need to be SO secretive about?!)_ , L had come out of his funk. It really wasn’t doing him any good to sit and sulk. “Matsuda-san, come here, please,” L finally called to the rookie, frowning down at his food. When the man hurried over to hover anxiously at his side, L looked up and gestured to the couch. “Matsuda-san, about what you said earlier-”

  
  
“Ryuzaki-san, I’m sorry, I _know_ we’re supposed to oppose Kira, but I _had_ to say it!” Matsuda burst out, face flushing again and looking for all the world like he was afraid he would be kicked off the team. “Please let me stay!”

 

L stared for a moment, mouth slightly hanging open before closing it and shaking his head. “I wasn’t going to kick you off the team, I only wanted to say that, while it was probably… _imprudent_ to say it, it took bravery to say it in the face of opposition.” He shot a glance Aizawa’s way, and then looked back at Matsuda with a smirk, lowering his voice to barely above a whisper. “But I also wanted to ask that you, ah… maybe _not_ say anything about running into me last night. Or my… friend.”

  
  
“ _OH!_ ” Matsuda blushed harder at that and looked away quickly. “Um…”

  
  
_Fuck._ “What did you tell everyone?” L asked with a long-suffering sigh.

  
  
“Only that I saw you there,” Matsuda squeaked, not looking at him. He hesitated, and then blurted out, “And I may have said something about the, ah…” He made a circling gesture around his face, sneaking a peek at L’s face and quickly looking down again. “And then you and Light came in, so I didn’t mention your friend. Sorry! I didn’t know you wanted it to be…”

 

L held up a hand as the rookie trailed off, his expression flat as he said, “It’s fine.” _Well, that explains Aizawa glaring at me as soon as I walked in._ An irritated huff left him, and he shook his head, taking another bite of his lunch before asking through his mouthful, “Mmm… While you’re here, was there any other Kira activity this weekend I should know about?”

 

\----

 

Light had noticed Ryuk cackling in the corner of the bedroom while Watari was agreeing so readily to his demands, phased half-in and half-out of the ceiling. “Hyuk hyuk. Light-o, what are you up to?”

 

He ignored the shinigami, nodding at Watari at the mention of keeping this from L. “Of course. He has enough to worry about without this trivial matter adding to it.” He stood up, giving Watari a polite bow, “This will be between us.” _Like hell it will. I need to speak with L right away so he can let Aiber know what to do._ He strode to the door and returned to the main room, meeting L’s eyes immediately with a ‘we need to talk’ expression on his face. He supposedly had five minutes before Watari came back out and would have to make the most of that to let L know this urgent information. Only one completely discreet and rapid way came to mind. _Ryuk._

 

To the team, Light said, “Watari asked me to let you know he’d be serving coffee and tea in five minutes.” He looked around for the restroom, heading in that direction with deliberate nonchalance and locking the door behind him. 

 

L looked around towards the bedroom when he heard the door open, catching Light’s eye only briefly. That look on the teen’s face immediately set his gut churning, and though he had no idea _what_ Light and Watari had been talking about, exactly, he knew something important had happened. Something that probably threw a wrench into their plans. But instead of coming over ( _of course he wouldn’t, that might be a little strange considering I still ‘suspect’ him of being Kira)_ , Light went into the bathroom. _Sending Ryuk?_

 

Light ran the sink for white noise, snapping quietly before splashing water on his face. _Come on Ryuk, come on. We don’t have any time to waste._ It would be a lost cause if Watari heard from the prison that Beyond had been removed, transported. That would immediately set off alarm bells to the older man given the timing. 

 

Ryuk’s face appeared in the mirror in place of Light’s, grinning like a Cheshire cat in a looking glass. “Supposin’ you’ll be wantin’ Lawli to know bout yer little chat, hmmm?” 

 

Light nodded fast, speaking barely above a whisper, “Quick, go fill L in on what happened in there. You heard what Watari and I discussed, L needs to set up B’s fake death, and I’m not sure what he’s got arranged exactly with Aiber.”

 

Ryuk rolled his yellow eyes but didn’t refuse. “Can I have those apples in yer backpack if I do it?”

 

“Of course, and more later. Now hurry!” Light smiled in relief, shooing Ryuk out of the bathroom before methodically washing his hands.

 

Ryuk phased through the bathroom wall, flapping across the main room to perch atop the flat screen monitor that L happened to be looking at. “Psst. Lawli. Got some tea!” He pinched two of his claws together as if taking a dainty sip from an imaginary teacup. _That’s what the kiddos call it right?_ Most of the shinigami didn’t bother with gossip or telling tales, finding human trivialities boring. Ryuk was not one of those shinigami, and he cackled quietly in anticipation. 

 

L turned to his computer with a frown, unable to concentrate on the article he’d been reading. It didn’t take long for Ryuk to flap over and perch on his monitor, and his gaze flicked up for a moment, his eyes crinkling in brief amusement at Ryuk’s attempt at slang. He gave a barely perceptible nod to the shinigami to go on before focusing his gaze back onto the article, listening intently.

 

Ryuk whispered down from his perch, “Guess what your fancypants butler asked Light-o to do? Have Kira kill Beyond Birthday! Pffft! As if!” He devolved into laughter, but shut up quick when he caught Light’s eye as the human returned to his desk. “Uh, sorry. Just ironic and...yeah anyway….Light-o says to fake Bernael’s death cause Kira agreed to kill ‘em. I mean, not really KILL EM-kill em, but like fake kill em. Watari said he’d give Light-o some good info if he did it in the next 24 hours. Tit-for-tat, quid pro quo.” His shinigami eyes glowed for a moment as he looked past the walls and into the next room where Watari was getting up to come back in. “A bribe.”

 

L’s expression darkened as Ryuk relayed the information, anger making him tense up. _Why would he want Bernael dead? More importantly, WHY is he going to Light, behind my back, to do it? He clearly doesn’t want me to know about this, which means there must be something Bernael knows that Watari wants to keep hidden from me._ L flicked his eyes back up at Ryuk again before returning them to his monitor, mouthing, ‘ _Thank you._ ’ A questioning tilt to his head gave the question to ‘ _Now?_ ’ He very carefully did not look at Light, idly reaching over with his chopsticks to casually pop some rice into his mouth, forcing himself to chew mechanically. The food tasted like ash in his mouth, and it took all the willpower he had not to throw something in frustration. _Now I need to come up with a new plan. Fucking GREAT._

 

\----

 

Light’s half-eaten lunch now sat untouched on his desk in front of him, and it was all he could do to stare straight forward at the spreadsheet of Kira’s kills and keep a bland expression of concentration. He was listening intently to Ryuk’s explanation to L and somewhat surprised that (colorful rendition aside) the shinigami was doing well to relay what he’d heard. _Don’t look at them, don’t look._

 

Ryuk gave a nod in response to L’s mouthed words, “Welcome.” He scratched behind his neck, his glowing gaze following Watari as he emerged from the bedroom. “You and Light can really keep quiet can’t ya? I thought you’d be more pissed, actually. ‘Specially since butlerman told Light not to tell you.” It occurred to the shinigami then that he hadn’t mentioned that detail before. _Whoops._ “I can tell Light was P-I-S-S-E-D though, he always does this thing with his hands when he’s--uh, sorry, rambling.” Ryuk wasn’t really sure whether Light wanted L to do something right away; it seemed like Light had thought that L would know what to do. He shrugged, “I dunno if it has to be ‘now.’ Just that Watari is giving Light-o pictures of Bernael at the end of the day and Kira’s ‘posed to kill him within 24 hours of that. Obviously, Kira can’t _do_ that but um...I think Light’s hopin’ you’ll make it look like he did.”

 

Light had been softly drumming his fingers on top of his desk, not even aware of the absent motion until Watari emerged. He laid his hand down flat on the wooden surface to keep it still but he knew the fury that L must be feeling; Light felt it too and it was deeply frustrating not to be able to talk to L about it right now. 

 

L had been bringing another bite to his mouth when Ryuk said _that_ , and he froze, eyes going as round as saucers. _He said WHAT?! WHAT. In the ACTUAL. FUCK._ L slowly lifted his livid gaze up to stare intently at the shinigami. _Don’t say a WORD._ He took a slow, deliberate breath, nostrils flaring before he chanced a glance back at Light, gaze flickering quickly down to see that Light was tapping seemingly idly at the desk, which normally wouldn’t mean anything to L... except that he _recognized_ that gesture from Wednesday during the surveillance of Light’s room. Light had done that a few times during their text conversation, most notably right before he had walked _away_ from it. _Shit. There’s another reminder that I nearly lost him._ Turning back to Ryuk, L gave him another tiny, imperceptible nod and tried to unclench his jaw, taking another slow breath before letting it out and setting his chopsticks down. Now he _really_ wasn’t hungry.

 

Watari crossed the main room without a word, going into the kitchen where the soft clinking sounds of teacups and saucers could be heard. A few minutes later he wheeled a drinks cart into the room, going to L’s desk first. “Would you be liking any coffee or tea, sir?” He held silver tongs above the bowl of sugar cubes, ready to drop them into whatever L requested. 

 

L stared in silence at the monitor as he sat back in his chair, knees drawn to his chest and chewing at the skin around his thumbnail as he thought furiously about what to do. Watari’s question didn’t get much more than a nearly imperceptible eye twitch from him, and after a long moment, he looked up at him, staring in silence for a moment before saying in a bland tone, “I’m good, thanks.”

 

Ryuk grinned down at the older man from his perch, mumbling something unintelligible about amusements and comeuppances. He sent both L and Light a demonic approximation of a sympathetic look and phased through the floor, waiting for the day to run its course. 

 

Setting his drink aside, L unfolded himself from the chair and shoved his hands in his pockets as he made his way to the restroom. No-one paid any attention to him, as far as he could tell, and once he had closed and locked the door, he tugged his phone out of his pocket, sitting on the toilet cover and sending a Wire to Aiber.  
  
****

**L:** Wat’s ur current ETA in LA?

  
  
**A:** Pilot said 8 hours if conditions are good (What’s with the text speak?).

 

 **L:** Time management. Ur instructions have changed from extraction to coverup+extraction. 

 

 **A:** New mission? What’s up?

  
  
**L:** Haven’t worked out details yet, will let u no whn I do.. U’ll b faking B’s death.   
**L:** This’ll require additional lvl of security. I’ll give u that info along w/ur new instructions when I’ve worked it out.

  
  
**A:** What the hell?? What’s going on?

  
  
**L:** Long story. Gtg. Will update u ASAP, but will likely be l8r 2nite. Just n cse, make sure any correspondence u 2 have is on here. Dunno if ur phones r sfe.

  
  
L turned his phone to silent and stood up, flushing the toilet and then washing his hands to complete the fabrication, slouching out of the bathroom and returning to his desk. 

 

Light busied himself making cordial work-chat with his new colleagues as well as diving into every bit of information collected on the Kira case that he could process in the next 7 hours. It was all either of them could do until they could speak privately.

 

It was going to be a long day, wasn’t it?


	45. Care Takers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> L meets Light’s mother Sachiko when she drops by the hotel, and Light and L come to a realization about Beyond’s powers as the criminal is scheduled to arrive the next day.

Given it was a Sunday, L had casually mentioned letting the team go home for the night around 7 pm-- pointing out that that applied to everyone _but_ Light. Light nodded in acquiescence but secretly couldn’t wait to be alone with L and discuss what Watari had done. But first, Light had to hang back as promised, waiting for the older man to give him the promised intel both on Beyond Birthday and El Jefe. _The latter will die tonight if I have anything to say about it._  

 

He’d already texted his mother a list of the items and clothes from home he needed, and she was stopping by the hotel to drop them off at 8 pm. The list of food he’d sent would take her a little time to whip up, but she texted him that she would bring what she could tonight as well, and send more care packages with his father in the future. _I’m lucky to have her, to have a family that loves me. I want them to know L too soon, when it’s safe._

 

As the rest of the team members filed out to leave, Light said his goodnights to each of them, including his father, but hung back as Watari had requested. _I wonder how he plans on getting L to leave or to distract him?_ His eyes met the older man’s across the room to signal he was ready for the exchange, then flicked back to scribbling case notes on a legal pad.

 

Watching Light ingratiating himself with the team was highly amusing, and L followed his lead, at least in that he nodded to each person as they left, eyeing Light. Finally, once it was just the two of them and Watari left, L turned to the elderly man and nodded to him, giving him a bland smile as he said, “Goodnight Watari. I suppose I’ll see you in the morning.”

 

“Goodnight, L,” Watari said with a fond laugh, rising and turning towards his bedroom before pausing. “Oh, L, I forgot to tell you, there are a few boxes of cake pops for you in the back of the freezer. I bought them Friday, figured you could take them up to your own suite tonight. Perhaps you can go grab them while I give Light his username and password for the server?”

 

 _And there it is. The distraction._ “Really? You got more?” L grinned, not really having to fake his enthusiasm over the cake pops, though he _did_ have to work hard not to inject any sarcasm into his reaction. “Okay, thank you!” As he headed into the kitchen, the only thing cycling through L’s head was, _Act normal, pretend nothing’s wrong. Light, I’m not quite as good at this particular game as you are._

 

Light stood up from his desk, making a deliberate show of gathering up his things into his (now apple-less) backpack. He pretended to pay little attention to the exchange between L and Watari even though he’d been expecting a diversion. The older man knew exactly what to use to tempt L and get him out of the room. _And I’m sure he’s known for a long time how best to manipulate L._ That thought made Light seethe inside but he only smiled congenially at Watari as L disappeared into the kitchen. Later he’d have to compliment L on his composure; if he didn’t know better he’d think the detective was completely clueless regarding the dupe.

 

“Follow me, please, Light,” Watari said, watching L go and turning to make his way to the bedroom. He already had the files pulled up on his computer; given that L couldn’t know about this exchange, he had refrained from printing off the information for the teen.

 

When they were alone, Light walked into the bedroom with Watari, keeping his voice low as he asked, “Do you have the information I need?”

 

“I do,” Watari said, sparing a quick glance for the teen before unlocking his screen. The windows with Beyond’s information was already pulled up, the most recent picture sent from the prison showing a young man in relatively healthy condition, if looking a little… sunken in around the face. It seemed that Beyond’s burns had healed even _more_ fully since the last update he had received just four months ago, and there was not a burn mark to be seen... but Light wouldn’t know that the man had set himself on fire, so it shouldn’t raise any alarms for the teen. _Thank goodness he doesn’t know the history with Beyond, or this would be highly suspicious. I made the right call to use Light’s resources, if anything will kill the man, something supernatural should do the trick, as I know his kind can die._

 

Light leaned over Watari’s shoulder, gazing down at the image of a sullen-looking young man glaring into the camera. “Thank you, I appreciate your efficiency and getting this to me quickly.” _Beyond looks miserable and half-starved. Wonder what they’ve been doing to him in there?_ As much as he didn’t like to see the evidence of maltreatment, or perhaps just slow rot from boredom, it also meant that their enticements for his cooperation could be very effective. Light focused on the face, mousing over the picture to enlarge it for Watari’s benefit. He had to look like he was putting on a good show of memorizing it for later. Beyond was nearly as pale as L, but it could be from being sunshine-deprived over the last couple years. His black hair hung limply in over his face and eyes, which had an odd color to them despite being dark. Tattoos were visible on his neck and upper chest, creeping beneath his shirt, but there was something very odd about the designs-- they seemed unfinished? Like entire regions that should have been inked bled into clear white skin in finger-like patterns. He dismissed them as perhaps just eccentric tattoos, but still, it seemed off. _But everything about this person is ‘off.’_

 

Watari stepped back from the computer desk, making sure not a hint of the steely satisfaction coursing through him would show as he placed the folded paper with Light’s new account and password in front of the keyboard. “The other information you requested is on a secondary window for once you’ve memorized everything you need. It took a small amount of digging with my contacts, but I was able to get it relatively quickly.” The information was spoken as if it were of no more consequence than pouring a cup of coffee. _And giving him Matias Jimenez is a perfectly adequate trade to eliminate that thorn in my side. Beyond Birthday, that resilient little cockroach, will be no more, and the world will be down one more drug kingpin spreading misery and ruin to his people._

 

Light clicked through to the second tab and _actually_ memorized the face and spelling of El Jefe’s true name with smug satisfaction, a slow grin spreading across his face. " _Finally_. I’ve been looking for him for _months_.” He had first tried the same ruse with this Mexican cartel that he’d used with the Russian mobsters, but it had been very slow going primarily because El Jefe, or Matias Jimenez, had isolated himself so completely from even his former confidants. _No longer. This was your last day on Earth._

 

 _Indicating the paper on the desk,_ Watari said, “That contains your name and passwords to your _new_ account for the private server. I took the liberty of setting up the basic account details, and giving you privileges to most areas. Obviously, you can change your password once you log in later if you wish, to set your mind at ease and give you _some_ autonomy.” He smiled at that, a hint of smugness behind the fatherly expression; he knew how much L valued his privacy, or at least the illusion of it, and though he had no delusions that L was being _completely_ open with him, it was of little concern for the moment. _I should still be careful not to let L get away with too MUCH secrecy._ “While you’re here, I have L’s things, if you would be so kind as to take them with you when you’re finished, Light.” Going to the closet, he pulled the duffel bag out and set it on the bed beside the desk. “If you have any questions, please ask.”

 

Satisfied he had memorized everything he needed, Light took the paper with the passwords and slipped it into his pocket, leaning back up and taking a few paces back. “I have no questions. You held up your end of the deal, and I’ll do the same. Within the next 24 hours, you should receive the news that you are hoping for.” He glanced over to L’s things, picking up the duffle bag as he hovered near the door. L was still in the kitchen, probably sampling the cake pops and waiting for them to emerge. “Yes, I’ll make sure to give this to him. Thank you again for your help.” He flashed Watari a warm smile but there was no _real_ warmth behind it, not that anyone could have told the difference. Light felt cold as a glacier now. _He’d really let me kill Beyond behind L’s back._ Some part of Light had hoped that Watari would recant at the last minute, but no. The older man meant exactly what he’d said. “Have a good night. I’ll join the team after school tomorrow.” 

 

He gave Watari a nod as he headed across the main room and into the kitchen to collect L. Stone-faced, “Ready to call it a night? I have your things here, courtesy of Watari.” Light needed to be alone with L _right_ _now_. They had a lot to discuss.

 

L had been sitting at his desk for a minute as he waited for Light to emerge, spinning around in his chair, but that had gotten old _very_ quickly, and he made his way back to the kitchen to idly poke through the fridge while he waited. Light’s voice caught his attention, and he straightened up, mouth full of strawberry and eyes wide as he stared at the teen. _Is this because of the situation in general, or did something more happen while he was in there?_ L thought, swallowing his mouthful and licking the juice off his fingers as he closed the fridge. “Oh, I’ve been ready for a while. Thanks for grabbing those, I nearly forgot about them.” His tone was casual, just in case Watari came out and happened to overhear their conversation.

 

He reached for the duffel bag, taking it from Light as he retrieved the boxes Watari had, indeed, left in the freezer, staying silent until they had left Watari’s suite. “What happened, Light?” L asked, voice very quiet as he hurried towards the elevator now. He knew Light’s moods well enough to see the agitation and need to be _not here_ , and honestly, he fully agreed. “You seem angrier than you did right after he first _made_ his request.”

 

Light glanced at the cameras in the hall, smiling with his mouth if not with his eyes as they stepped into the elevator. _Not here._ Speaking at a normal tone and ignoring L’s questions for the moment, “I think that was a good first day, all things considered.” _More like a bomb dropped on my face._ “Maybe I’ll take a long soak in the tub.”   


With a soft sigh, L shut up, shoving one hand in his pocket. _Yeah, I guess we shouldn’t talk about important things around those cameras._

  
Light rolled his shoulders, they felt incredibly tense and tight as the anxieties had built. He sighed as they arrived at their floor, pulling his keycard from his pocket and watching over his shoulder as Ryuk floated up through the floor behind them. He slid the card and stepped inside unhurriedly, setting his backpack down and waiting for L to close the door behind him. 

 

He glanced at Ryuk, feeling uneasy as they’d been out of the room all day. Someone, probably just a maid, had been here and tidied up the place, leaving their clean laundry and replacing the flowers. _Could have been more than that. I’ve been bugged before._ He pointedly looked at Ryuk and started whistling the ‘Mission Impossible’ theme, casually going over to the refilled bowl of apples, tossing one up in the air with a hint of a smile.

 

“Hyuk! After all the sneakin’ round I already did for you, you want me to….ughhh.” The shinigami grumbled but phased around the room in a blur of black feathers, darting in and out of the walls and furniture checking for bugs and cameras. 

 

 _He’s worried Watari…. would Watari go so far as to bug me?_ L knew Light wouldn’t feel comfortable touching him until he knew they weren’t being watched, so instead of getting pouty, he took that moment to take his things into the bedroom, putting clothing items away into the dresser and smiling a little when he felt his extra pair of converse in the bottom of the bag. He reached into one shoe, wiggling his fingers down to the toe and breathed a sigh of relief at feeling the tiny stuffed dragon still tucked away, safe and sound. _Thank goodness._

 

After a few minutes Ryuk materialized in front of Light, “Nothing here.” He opened his mouth and caught the apple that Light tossed on his way over to L. 

 

Hearing Ryuk announce from the other room that they were clean was a huge relief, and L slipped the toy into his pocket with a small smile as he walked back out into the living area… just in time to see Light headed his way _._

 

Embracing L, Light left himself finally relax against the man, slumping into him a little as he whispered, “ _Damn it._ ” 

 

“Thank you, Ryuk,” L said softly. He opened his arms as Light walked over to him, wrapping them immediately around Light’s shoulders as the teen embraced him, and a long sigh left him, taking much of the tension he’d felt all afternoon along with it. Not all of it, though. 

 

Pulling back, Light looked into L’s eyes, knowing he had to be confused and angry too. Softly, “I was hoping he wouldn’t really go through with it, that he wasn’t serious. Why would he want Beyond dead so badly as to give me the _hardest_ name I could think of?” But that wasn’t what was bothering him most of all; it was that Watari had clearly judged that Light cared more about advancing his Kira plans than he did about being truthful with to L. _And that is simply untrue._ It might be hurtful to voice that aloud so he didn’t. Plus, he guessed that L had already deduced as much, along with how very much of a miscalculation that was.

 

Light’s words made L swallow hard. “I don’t know, Light. That’s what we’re going to try to find out. But… since he _did_ go through with it… and clearly doesn’t want me to know he’s _doing_ it… that’s a sign that there’s definitely something Beyond knows that is important.” He smiled a little at Light, stroking his fingers into the teen’s shoulders and kneading firmly to try and ease some of Light’s tension. “Plus he’s miscalculated how deep our feelings for each other _are_ , and while I _could_ be hurt by that… I’ll instead choose to use that to our advantage.” He paused a moment before leaning in and cupping Light’s chin in his fingers, pressing a firm kiss to the teen’s mouth. “Your performance was brilliant as always,” he murmured against Light’s lips, grinning before pulling back and adding, “But how was _mine_?”

 

Light closed his eyes and hummed quietly as L’s fingers rubbed his tense shoulders, mentally letting go of the tension in his mind. There was no point in holding onto the stress of the day, and it was just like L to turn a seeming disadvantage into an advantage. Light kissed L back, pulling him closer against him with a smile. “Your performance was marvelous. Made me very glad for the millionth time that you’re on my side now.” 

 

“You really think so?” L beamed at that, nuzzling his nose against Light’s for a moment before laughing, cheeks flushing slightly. “And here I was thinking to myself that I’m not as good as you. Thank you, Light.” He stepped away to head into the bathroom, intending to start running a bath like Light had said he wanted.

 

As L stepped towards the bathroom, Light felt his phone go off in his pocket. _That’s right, my mother is bringing my things by._

 

**“Light, I’m picking your father up. Can I bring your things up to your room or should I leave them at the front desk?”**

 

He texted back, **“Thanks so much Mom, let me see if you can come up.”**

 

 _Hmm. She doesn’t seem angry about the situation anymore, and I would really like to see her._ Light called into the bathroom, “L, do you want to meet my mother briefly? She’s brought some of my things and is waiting downstairs.” 

 

In the bathroom, L had already turned the water on when Light called to him, and he straightened from where he’d been holding his hand beneath the faucet, chewing on his lip as he considered. _Does she want to come up? I thought she was mad at the situation earlier. At least from the way Matsuda was laughing over it near the end of the day, that’s what it sounded like._  

 

Light walked into the bathroom, remembering something that might sweeten the prospect. “She’s bringing some of her homemade mochi too. Probably some other snacks. It would be nice to see her if you’re ok with it?” He knew that she wouldn’t stay long given that his father was surely ready to get home.

 

L turned to him with a thoughtful look on his face. “Mochi, you say?” He certainly wouldn’t say no to _that_. “I… well, I _would_ very much like to meet her. And she was nice enough to bring your things over when she really didn’t have to.” _Though I suppose it would either have been that or have his father bring some things for him in the morning. This is definitely the most convenient situation, all things considered._ Finally, L gave him a small smile. “Tell her she can come up. It’s fine.”

 

Light beamed at L, kissing him on the cheek as he texted back to his mother. **“Sure, come on up. Room 11, 50th floor. Take a left at the elevator.”**

 

 _Of course, that means the bath will be postponed._ L laughed to himself as he shut the water back off. “I was, uh… going to go practice on the piano before joining you in the tub, want me to hold off until she leaves?” 

 

Light noticed the slightly worried look on L’s face and took his hand, giving it a light squeeze. “Don’t worry. I know she was huffy this morning but my Mom can never stay mad for long. She probably just wants to make sure I won’t be living like a savage, or that I’m really ok with the situation.” _That’s probably it, she wants to see my face and hear it from me that I agree with this._ He stepped closer to L, wrapping his arms around the man’s waist, “Go ahead and practice. I bet she’d love to hear you play. One look at that Steinway and she’ll probably flip.” He nuzzled into the scarf still around L’s neck, giggling, “Better leave this on a little longer though.”

 

 _I am so lucky to have you, Light_ , L thought to himself, the worry on his face smoothing into something softer when the teen took his hand, and the reassurances Light gave him pulled an actual smile from him. Closing his eyes, L leaned his forehead against Light’s, chuckling quietly, and murmured in response, “Well, one look at this _suite_ , and I’m sure it’ll be obvious you’ll want for nothing.” 

 

The sound of the door chime made Light pull away. “Must be her. Just relax!” He walked to the front door and opened it, his mother lighting up at the sight of him.

 

L smiled softly after the teen. _Of course I’m worried, Light. I want her to like me, and she can’t exactly know we’re together yet._ “I wish we didn’t have to lie,” he whispered into the empty air, reaching into his pocket briefly to touch the tiny stuffed dragon before going into the living room.

 

“Light!” Sachiko stepped into the room when Light beckoned and let him take the bag of groceries and suitcase from her before they hugged. She gasped softly at the gorgeous room over his shoulder, looking around with wide eyes. “This hotel! I’ve never seen anything like it.” She immediately gravitated to the piano, giving Light an amazed look. “Well NOW I see why you agreed to stay! And here I thought you’d be stuck behind a desk in some dingy hovel and I’d have to make a fuss.” She poked around the kitchen and living room, letting out little ‘ooh’s’ at the view from the floor-to-ceiling panel windows at the far wall. 

 

Light laughed as he unpacked the groceries and snacks she’d brought. “No, Mom, it’s definitely _not_ like that. I really am ok with staying while the case is ongoing. It will be a great experience for me, and Dad will be here too.” He caught L’s eye as the man wandered in from the bathroom, giving him a little smile while his mother was still distracted with the view. “Thanks for bringing my things by the way, I know I’ll really enjoy that mochi.”

 

L hesitated in the doorway, unsure of whether or not to say hello and introduce himself, but even after catching Light’s eye, a sudden bout of shyness had him scurrying over to the piano to sit down. _I should say hello before I do anything else, but… I don’t want to disturb her._ Keeping his head down, L watched the woman from behind his hair, trailing the fingers of one hand along the keys as he tried to decide what he wanted to practice. _Later, maybe._ Finally, he spoke up, voice soft and tentative. “Uh… hi. Thank you for bringing Light-kun’s things.” _Should I introduce myself?_ He ducked his head again, quietly testing out chords on impulse to find the right key and sequence for a piece he had started working on three years prior. 

 

Sachiko turned when she heard L’s voice behind her and a brief glimmer of surprise crossed her features at who this had to be, but was quickly replaced with polite interest. “Oh, you must be--” But her cheeks flushed as she realized she wasn’t sure what to call him.

 

Light stepped in to avoid her embarrassment, “Mom, this is Ryuzaki-san. Ryuzaki-san, please meet my mother, Sachiko Yagami.” He bowed to each of them while doing the introductions, with the expectation of the respect that should be shown his mother in front of his employer, and vice versa. _Have to make it look good, normal._

 

Sachiko was having none of Light’s formality, giving him a look and waving him aside as she approached the piano. She smiled down at L, sensing he was nervous or perhaps just in his nature to be shy, “So, do you play as well? Light is quite talented at piano, he has a whole shelf full of trophies.” She couldn’t help but brag on him a little. “Although we have nothing so nice as _this_.”

 

“Mo-ommm.” Light groaned, shooting her a look like ‘ _cut it out.’_ “Ryuzaki-san doesn’t want to hear about any of that.” 

 

L flushed a little, glancing aside at Light gratefully before giving Sachiko a tiny smile as she came to stand at the piano. “It’s nice to meet you, obasan.” He started to stand, to greet her properly, but like with Light, she waved away the formalities, and he sank gratefully back down on the bench, a genuine smile spreading a little wider on his face. “You may call _me_ just Ryuzaki, if you like, everyone else does,” he said, relaxing somewhat and nodding in response to her question. “And yes, I’ve been playing on and off for almost 18 years. I don’t have the shelf of trophies, though, I just play for myself these days.”

 

Sachiko shot Light a little smirk when her playful bragging flustered him. With a wink, “Well, you did have the best teacher.” Turning back to L, “My, 18 years is a long time! I’d love to hear you play a piece sometime.” Shooting Light a pouting look, “Light plays for me so rarely.”

 

Light rolled his eyes, “Mom, I _just_ played for you a few days ago!” He knew she was teasing him, which just made him grin at her. He was going to miss this. Usually Sayu would join in too and gang up on him, but she wasn’t here now. 

 

The playful teasing between her and Light made L want to laugh, and he had to stifle his giggles, fingers moving mostly silently over the keys as he envisioned the note path in his head. _Okay, I definitely want to play that piece for her sometime, if I can remember how it goes._ “I need a little more practice, but once I get back into it, I promise I’ll play something for you,” L said, squirming a little in happiness from the request.

 

Light headed into the kitchen and grabbed the plate of mochi she’d brought, bringing it over to them at the piano. _Now here’s something I bet L does want to know about._

 

Sachiko held up a hand, refusing the proffered mochi. “No, that’s for _you_ , I can make more at home. Please both of you, try some before I have to go.”

 

L had been slightly worried that she might yell at him for keeping Light away from home, but it was quite a relief to see firsthand that she really _was_ as kind in person as she had been on the surveillance. Though he couldn’t help but feel, as much as he had been _dying_ to play the piano again for most of the weekend, it would be rude to start playing while Light’s mother was still here, and that little inner conflict _alone_ had him blushing again.

 

Light giggled, trying not to look right at L and seem overly familiar since he could feel his mother’s eyes on him. _She’s not stupid, and she knows me very well._ “Alright, we’ll try some.” Joking, “I suppose you want me to indulge you with a bunch of compliments too, hmm? About how it’s the best mochi in the whole wide world?” He poked her in the ribs as he took a piece, nibbling it and making a face betraying how delicious it was. “Ok, in all seriousness, I think this is your best batch ever, Mom.” He slung an arm around her as she smiled, looking very pleased. “What do you think Ryuzaki-san?”

 

Light bringing over the plate of mochi perked him right up, and at Sachiko’s insistence, L was _more_ than happy to lean up and snag a piece from the plate, biting in and letting out a little squeak of pleasure, staring down in surprise. “Oh my god, it’s _delicious,_ ” he declared, stuffing the last bite into his mouth and closing his eyes to savor the taste. After he’d finally swallowed his mouthful, he looked up at them both and said, “It’s definitely the best mochi _I’ve_ ever had.” He shot a quick glance to Light before eyeing the plate hopefully.

 

As expected, Sachiko smiled with satisfaction when the mochi was a hit. “Eat some more! Sayu won’t touch it and my husband rarely eats anything sweet, so it’s nice to have someone else who appreciates it.” 

 

The open invitation to ‘ _Eat more!_ ’ was all L needed to reach over and snag another piece, happily munching away as he declared, “Your sweets are _always_ welcome here, obasan.” He shot a furtive glance in Light’s direction before looking back up at her with bright eyes. “I, uh… have quite a sweet tooth. Thank you!” 

 

Sachiko’s phone buzzed in her purse and she twisted out of Light’s arm to remove it and get her phone. “Hmmm, your father’s impatient down in the lobby so I should say goodnight.” 

 

L merely nodded, turning away. “I’m sorry for keeping you, then.”

 

Sachiko leaned over and gave Light a lingering hug, kissing his cheek and whispering, “Is everything really alright? I’m worried about you. You’ve lost weight.”

 

Light swallowed hard and hugged her back tightly, whispering back, “Please don’t worry. Everything is fine.” He pulled away, taking her arm as they walked to the door together. Speaking normally now, “So now you know that I’m not in any dank cellar.” He laughed and pointed to his clean laundry, “Look, freshly ironed and everything.”

 

Sachiko huffed but her mouth was twisted into a smile, “Your father shouldn’t have told you about my fussing. I trust that if it’s necessary for the case, then you’ll be treated well.” She finally laughed too, “Maybe a little TOO well. I’m almost jealous.” Her phone buzzed again and she opened the door, calling back to L, “Very nice to meet you, Ryuzaki. Please see that my son behaves himself and eats something too. Have a good night, both of you.” She snuck one more kiss to Light and waved, hurrying back down the hall to the elevator.

 

As Light walked his mother to the door, L found himself relaxing more, turning his full attention to the piano and beginning to play softly, following the map he’d made in his head and adjusting for things that weren’t quite as he’d remembered them. He paused in his soft playing when he heard his name, unable to stifle his giggles this time before calling back, “Of course, very nice to meet you, as well, obasan. I’m sure Light-kun will continue to behave himself admirably, and I’ll make sure he eats something before he goes to sleep. Good night!”  


Light looked after her a moment and then closed the door, going to lay down on the couch beside where L was playing chords on the piano. “So, that’s my mother.” He reached up and took another mochi from the plate on the side table, nibbling it as he stretched out on his back. “I told you everything would be fine. Plus, you complimented her cooking, which means you’re _definitely_ on her good side.”

  
L heard the door close, only slightly louder than his playing as he went back to it, pausing and starting the piece over a few times when he messed up. _Crap, I really AM rusty._ He cast a fond look over to Light when the teen stretched out on the couch, and turned to him. “You were right, of course. I just… worry sometimes over silly things, I guess.” An amused snort left him, and L added, “And I wasn’t lying. I think you might have to hide any mochi you want to eat, or I’ll end up eating most of it, it’s _exquisite_.” He smirked, and began to stand up, his intent to pounce on Light probably broadcasted quite clearly.   


Light smiled up at L, holding out a hand and pulling him down to lay on the couch with him. He brushed some of the dark hair from L’s eyes and kept playing with it, carding his fingers through it lazily. “Eat all the mochi you want, I know she’d be happy to make some more. She brought some other food for me too, but knowing her, there’s plenty to share.”

 

L smiled contentedly, slinging one arm around Light’s waist and luxuriating in the feel of gentle fingers in his hair. He had _missed_ this today, and he thought idly to himself, _how did I go so long without the simple comfort of just being casually touched?_ He had never really understood what it was like, and now that he had experienced being on the receiving end of such casual affection, not having it for long periods of the day had been _excruciating_  “Your mother is really a very sweet lady,” he murmured, eyes drifting almost closed as he squirmed closer, only to blink them back open. 

 

Light sighed, smiling and sitting up a little on his elbow to prop his head in his hand to just look at L. “We can take a look at the rest of the food in a minute, right now I’m just enjoying being like this. It was really hell not being able to touch you all day, still having to be close to you.” 

 

L chuckled at that little admission, nuzzling into Light’s neck as he confessed, “I didn’t realize how absolutely spot on I was when I said yesterday that it was going to be _torture._ Going back to nothing at all after being so indulgent all weekend is _painful_.”

 

Light pressed a soft kiss to L’s lips, doing what he’d thought of so many times throughout the day but restrained from. He melted into it, finally feeling like they were really alone and on their own terms now. No more acting or hiding. “I know. I had to stop myself so many times from touching you or saying something filthy or amusing that sprung to mind.” Light smiled, trying to remember some instances now. Giggling, “Like Matsuda said something about how Kira wasn’t making it easy to figure out his methods, and I just wanted to whisper to you how _hard_ L was making it for him too.” 

 

Laughing harder, “Or when Aizawa said those Russian mafia should have been arrested, I almost pointed out that Kira _had_ given them cardiac arrest.” He buried his face in L’s neck, chuckling into the fabric of his scarf until he pulled it away. _We’re safe now, no need for this anymore._  

 

“Oh god, Light,” L started, beginning to laugh at the little asides Light had wanted to make. “I don’t think I could have stopped myself from cracking up if you had made that _cardiac arrest_ comment, so it’s probably a good thing you didn’t say that out loud.” He pursed his lips bemusedly, and then couldn’t resist asking with a self satisfied giggle, “ _Now_ do you see why I’m always looking for little ways to troll Aizawa? I almost told him that he should contact Charles Xavier next time he wants to make an impossible arrest.” Pausing, L added, “I don’t know that he would have gotten the joke.”

 

Light kissed him deeply for a moment before pulling back and laying his head down on L’s chest, sighing happily. 

 

That kiss sent a shiver through L, and he didn’t bother to curb the urge to press up against Light before the teen was pulling away again. _Tease._ “I love you,” he murmured, reaching up to stroke at Light’s hair and smiling as a rush of affection for the teen washed over him.

 

Light’s eyes softened at L’s tender words, and he stroked his face gently. “I love you too.” _I have to be careful not to let that slip either. It’s so easy to say to him but would be impossible to explain._ He giggled quietly, “So, you’re going to make sure I continue to ‘behave,’ huh?” His hand worked its way under L’s shirt to stroke up his chest, “And what are you going to do if I decide to misbehave? I guess you’ll have to demote me, as my boss and all.”

 

L had to giggle a moment later at the feel of fingers sliding against his skin, his breath hitching before he said in a devious tone, “Who said ‘behaving admirably’ only means _well?_ ” Both hands slid down to grip Light’s hips, tugging until he had pulled Light half on top of him, and L whispered in his ear, “My definition contains _much_ more nakedness and moaning than most other people, no demotions for _you._ "

 

Light yelped as L tugged him on top, and moved to straddle the man, grinning at his devious words. “That’s perfect then, because I really wasn’t planning on behaving tonight.” He caught L’s lips and kissed him hard, pushing his tongue into L’s mouth and stroking. Light was just enjoying this moment of closeness, his hand up L’s shirt groping him shamelessly. 

 

L grinned fiercely at Light’s comment before their lips met, and he wiggled his hips against the teen teasingly, tugging Light’s shirt from his pants with a couple insistent yanks. Smoothing his hands up Light’s back once he was able to, L hummed into the kiss and licked up into Light’s mouth eagerly, enjoying the way Light was groping him. 

 

Light was panting and hard by the time he finally pulled back, remembering...he needed a bath, and probably something to eat. _Maybe dinner can wait until later. I’m not that hungry for food._ He pressed his hips into L, biting his lip at the stolen friction and giving him a predatory look. 

 

L was unable to mask his disappointment when Light finally pulled away. “Aww damn, I was enjoying that- _ohh_.” The moan slipped out unbidden at the way Light was rolling his hips into L’s, and after the initial spike of arousal, L gave him a knowing look.

 

“I’m probably not going to do a great job keeping my hands off you but I do need a bath before...anything else.” 

 

“You are being _so_ cruel to your boyfriend,” L teased, pushing himself up to rest on his elbows and grinning. “Teasing me, turning me on and then pulling away like it’s nothing so you can go have your _bath_.” 

 

Light leaned down, rolling his hips against L’s again, and whispered, “There’s still one toy we haven’t tried. What do you say we watch a _certain_ movie, after a bath?” He sat back on his knees, smirking, “Unless L is too tired from the case and can’t handle Kira giving him more of a _hard time_?” With that, he got up and went into the bathroom, starting to strip his clothes off.

 

L reached up to trail one fingertip down Light’s nose and smiled before leaning forward to kiss the tip of it. “Mmm, as long as you _promise_ we can play tonight, I’m willing to wait a little longer. After all, Kira should know by now that L tends to pull all nighters so he doesn’t miss a single _stroke_ of Kira’s machinations. Feel free to keep giving me a _hard time_.” 

 

He got up from the couch to follow Light into the bathroom, tugging off his own shirt and undoing his jeans before saying teasingly, “By the way, I didn’t get a chance to tell you earlier, but… you looked _gorgeous_ in that formal work getup. I may have had a difficult time concentrating by the end of the day.” _Come on, he would be distracting wearing nothing but a burlap sack._  

 

Light grinned at the praise, scooping L up into his arms and kissing him in response. “Flatterer. You just say that because you know I love to hear it, don’t you?” He couldn’t hide the pleased expression on his face though, and certainly didn’t mind that weakness being exploited by L.

 

L wrapped his arms around Light’s neck as he teased, “Maybe I do. But I also mean it, you’re _very_ distracting, Light.” _And you love it when I say things like that_ , he thought to himself, nuzzling Light’s cheek. To distract himself from Light’s increasing nakedness, he went right back to the bathtub and picked up where he’d left off; running the water and getting the temperature _just_ right. “We really _should_ eat something before it gets too late, by the way, otherwise I’m liable to forget. Maybe after round one?” _And maybe we could do some writing... set up a couple names for tomorrow in the afternoon while we’re both at HQ._

 

Light snickered at ‘Round One,’ shooting him an amused look as he kicked out of his pants and boxers. “Don’t forget I have school tomorrow. _You_ don’t need much sleep, but I, sadly, do.” He was mostly joking though, he didn’t feel tired in the slightest. 

 

Once the temperature was perfect, L looked up at Light in amusement, pulling out the dragon and setting it on the counter before kicking out of his own jeans and boxers. Turning back to Light, he said in a faux innocent tone, “That hasn’t stopped you _before_.” He smirked a little, and then relented, “But okay, _fine_ , we’ll play it by ear, I suppose. I was hoping you’d… maybe tie me up again.” Honestly, he _really_ just wanted to make the most of the time he had with Light before the teen had to leave for school in the morning. _Ugh, I’ve been so spoiled_.

 

Light stepped into the large bathtub and settled carefully in the warm water, embracing L before leaning back onto the side and closing his eyes as the heat soothed his muscles. 

 

L moved to settle down beside Light, sinking into the water up to his neck and resting his head against the side with a sigh. 

 

Light smiled sheepishly as he squirted shampoo in his hand and moved behind L. He leaned down to kiss his wet neck, “Now you’re going to have to indulge your boyfriend’s shampoo fetish and sit still.” He giggled at the overstatement; it wasn’t a fetish, just a way Light liked to take care of L. 

 

L looked up at Light and smiled now, eyes crinkling at the corners. “Well, if you insist,” he said, settling back down and letting Light do whatever he wanted. It was nice that Light wanted to take care of him like this after such a tense day. _I really could get used to this_ , he thought, eyes drifting closed at the soothing feeling of fingers stroking his scalp.

 

Light brooded as he worked his fingers into L’s hair and scalp, massaging the shampoo in. “I forgot to ask what you told Aiber, what the new plan is going to be. I assume you gave him some kind of instructions when you went to the bathroom, but I’m dying of curiosity as to how that’s going to go down.” 

 

 _Oh shit. I need to make sure to get back to him with details still._ “Hmm... well, I’ll have to give him my security access codes to help sell the lie, obviously, but… ugh. Honestly, it took me way too long to work out what seemed like a plausible way to fake Beyond’s death, because he already survived fire burns that should, by all rights, have _immolated_ his body, but according to the reports, he only had some horrible burn scars. And since he survived the fire, I didn’t want to use that as an option again, so I… sort of left Aiber on standby with details.” L snorted at that. “I _considered_ telling him to stage a fall from the roof, but fun as that might be to orchestrate on short notice… I really don’t think Beyond would cooperate. Besides, if this is a Kira death, I assumed you might want to be part of the planning process. Heart attack? It _is_ your signature move.”

 

Light brought up a handful of clean water, using it to rinse the suds from L’s hair. “The main thing here is convincing Watari that Beyond is dead by Kira’s hand. Getting a heart attack on video would be the easiest thing to convince Beyond to fake, and like you said, is definitely the signature way Kira kills. Watari will recognize it and likely be satisfied that I was the one who did it.” It was tempting to stage something more dramatic but Light doubted that Beyond would agree to much at this stage, without seeing what was in it for him. Rolling over and playing dead in exchange for getting broken out of prison seemed a fair trade though. 

 

“My suggestion is to see if Aiber can convince him to pretend to have a heart attack some time tomorrow, in his cell while he’s on camera. The prospect of getting out of there will have to appeal. He didn’t look….well treated in the picture.” Light frowned at that a little but was also conflicted; wasn’t Beyond a murderer? _But I never cause prolonged suffering, their deaths occur quickly._ Well...there was the instance of Truize, but that had been a special favor to L. _One that I don’t regret a bit. That asshole deserved it._ “Anyway, that should be enough for Watari. The video footage, a fake death certificate from the prison officials, and then an email about his rapid cremation. If you can do that or have Aiber facilitate that tomorrow, that would be convincing.”

 

That was a lot to process all at once, but this was L’s forte. As Light finished speaking, he was already nodding, saying in a low voice, “Good ideas. I’ll relay the information to Aiber. And you’re right, Watari will want proof, so I will make sure to have Aiber check in the warden’s office that there is video recording Beyond’s cell when it happens. At least that way, the only wild card will be convincing Beyond himself to do it.” And that was probably going to be the hardest part. That and setting up the paperwork and making sure they would be able to _get_ the video footage. “Once Beyond is convinced, Aiber will know to stage it for as early in the day as possible, and if Beyond has _really_ been mistreated, I imagine he’ll jump at the chance to potentially get out of a shitty situation, so the extraction should still be the easy part.”

 

L chewed on his bottom lip thoughtfully, thinking about one of the things Light had suggested. “You know, Aiber is great at forgery, I could get _him_ to forge the death certificate,” he offered, smiling. 

 

Light rolled his head to work a kink from his stiff neck, opening his eyes and sitting up a little to get to bathing. Thoughtfully, “You know what Watari gave me in exchange for my promise?” He met L’s eyes before starting to scrub his hair. “The real name and picture of _El Jefe_. Do you know how long the entire Western Hemisphere has been looking for him?” It was probably longer than Light had been alive, and he took particular relish in bringing this man down. He was notorious for making people ‘disappear’ into the Mexican desert, be they reporters, drug agents, rivals, politicians, or just innocents that got in his way. It had been three or four years since any sighting of him had been made public; for this, Light had wondered if the man was already dead. Watari’s intel and recent picture confirmed that wasn’t the case. “It was the most difficult name I could think of to ask for.” 

 

He dunked underwater, shaking his hair out. “I guess that’s what tipped me off to how _serious_ Watari was.” Light wondered if that meant that Watari would open up his contacts to him freely after he’d “killed” Beyond Birthday, but he’d probably have to wait and see how Watari responded. 

 

The mention of El Jefe had L frowning, and he asked, “And Watari just somehow was able to find information on him in a few _hours_? Damn! That’s… a little disturbing.” _He really IS serious about wanting Beyond dead. This is not good. I hope this plan goes off without a hitch, because I can’t have him finding out what we’re really doing._

 

Something that L had said earlier was sticking in his mind precluding him from even processing the rest. _Beyond suffered horrible burns--immolation? There was no evidence of that in the picture._ He started hesitantly, “L...are you sure we’re talking about the same person? Because I saw a picture of Beyond Birthday today that was only a few days old and he had no burns. None.” Light worked his jaw, wondering if this was related to Beyond being half-shinigami or not. His fingers stilled for just a moment, but it made sense--- how else could someone survive a fire and burns that severe? 

 

L started at that revelation and turned to stare at Light in surprise. “What?? That can’t… The man in the picture, he had black hair? Pale skin?” _Ugh, those descriptors could easily describe ME._ “Odd coloured eyes? I remember Beyond had very dark blue eyes, but… they looked almost black, kind of… almost purple.” _If the guy in the picture Light saw doesn’t have eyes like that, it’s not Beyond. That can’t be possible._ But L couldn’t help but remember Ryuk’s little rapid healing ability he’d witnessed that morning. Maybe it _was_ possible. _And I DID tell Ryuk that Beyond should be dead, as well._

 

Light tilted his head, listening to L’s description and nodding slowly. “Yes...extremely pale, jet-black hair but it was kind of limp, not fluffy and wild like yours.” He tried to remember the man’s eyes, and recalled that they _were_ as L described. “Very dark eyes, could have been dark blue but there was an odd tinge of red to them.” _That made them seem violet._ “Dark purple could probably describe them.” Light recalled the other thing he’d noticed that seemed off. “The prison shirt he was wearing had a low collar, like a ‘V’ neck that would be in medical scrubs. I could see he had tattoos but what I could see seemed half-finished. Do you think it could be where he was burned and it healed?” Light hadn’t thought of it at the time but the fingers of pale skin creeping into inked areas would resemble regions of prior burn damage. 

 

L stared at Light with wide eyes at that confirmation and breathed out a soft, “Holy _shit_.” His thoughts were firing rapidly in different directions at this new information, but all he could think to say at the moment was a quiet, intrigued, “That is _definitely_ him.” _Not a burn scar on him, huh? Except for where he has half finished looking tattoos, potentially. Now... how come I had no knowledge of this? Has Watari been intercepting the emails the prison was supposed to send to ME?_

 

Light gave L a quizzical look, “Are you surprised? I doubt that Watari would have risked showing me an inaccurate picture given what he was asking me to do.” He stretched his arms, folding them behind his head against the tub as he listened. 

 

L gave Light a meaningful look and said quietly, “Honestly? I’ve received no news or updates on Beyond’s condition since he was first put into that prison, despite asking to be kept updated on any changes.” _It seems like my name doesn’t actually hold as much weight as I thought it did_ . Lips twisting miserably, he took a deep, shaky breath before continuing, “I’ve… always relied on Watari for _everything,_ Light. I relied on him to take care of me, and as I grew up, I relied on him and a select few others to take care of all the boring details I didn’t want to be bothered with.” He shrugged, slumping down in the water a little. “And as far as I knew, he never steered me wrong. Was always _honest_ with me about important things. So… yes, I’m surprised. I just assumed that nothing had changed in the last two years. But after everything else surrounding this situation, I believe you received a recent picture.”

 

Light didn’t know why L hadn’t received the updates on Beyond’s progress, but it very well could be that the warden was being bribed or under Watari’s direction. It wasn’t a generous thought but now that Watari had asked him to deceive L and kill Beyond, all hope of trusting L’s caretaker was gone. “It’s not wrong to trust people, and from the way you grew up it didn’t sound like you had much practice relying on yourself alone. That’s not your fault.” He leaned to press a kiss to L’s lips, trying to reassure him. “It’s just that...right now? I don’t trust anyone but you.” 

 

“... Thank you, Light,” L whispered, attempting a shaky smile at the reassurance. Distractedly, trying to keep his breathing even, he sat up and said, “Ryuk showed me his rapid healing trick this morning. I dismissed it at the time, but... what if… being half-shinigami means Beyond has some small measure of the same healing factor that protected him from the worst of the damage? That helped him heal burn scars he should still _have_?” _So Watari KNOWS he has superior healing capabilities to normal human beings. Is that why he wants him dead?_

 

Light snorted at the mention of Ryuk’s ‘healing trick.’ “Ah, so Ryuk’s been holding out on me huh? Figures he could do something like that.”

 

L said slowly, “Holding out? He didn’t show you?” Frankly, that surprised him, especially since Ryuk had offered that tidbit up to him without question or much prompting. _Still, I didn’t ask him to show me. I just told him that Bernael survived the fire, and he offered that up without being asked._ L winced slightly, remembering the way Ryuk had reacted to stabbing himself, letting out a thoughtful ‘hmm’ in response to Light. _I wish he hadn’t done it._

 

Light shrugged, “I never had a reason to ask about the scope of shinigami powers until recently. We’ve talked much more about his limitations by the rules of the Death Note. I, uh, never told you how Kira killed that bus-hijacker Osoreda, but on that day, he tried to shoot Ryuk more than once and all the bullets just passed through him. I figured he couldn’t be hurt at all. Nothing from a human, anyway.” 

 

“Ahh… Osoreda… that… explains a lot, actually. Only shinigami can hurt another shinigami, in terms of physical wounds, from what he told me.”

 

“But if Beyond is half-shinigami and has the eyes, it would stand to reason he may have some other powers too, like healing. No wonder Watari needed Kira to kill Beyond, if he can do that. Probably didn’t have faith that more mundane ways would definitely work, or he couldn’t do them on the sly.” _Or already tried and failed._ Light went on quietly, “But Beyond must have limits, or I doubt he’d still be in prison.” He asked, “Where will you keep him when he arrives? Is the safe room in the hotel somewhere?”

 

Glancing towards Light, L now smiled widely. “Well… not quite. I had Wedy rent out one of the sublevels of the building, acting as a principal for the LLC I use for big investments. It seemed the most _convenient_ option. Still close, but not tied to the hotel itself. We’ll just have to be very careful that Watari doesn’t catch us moving around the building when we need to visit B, but turning off the cameras in the elevator for swathes of time would be child’s play for either of us, I suspect.” _And Watari shouldn’t notice that relatively small sum of money alongside the much larger investment on the skyscraper currently being built._

 

Light had soaked long enough and stood up in the tub, grinning down at L a long moment as the water dripped down his body. He stepped out and started to towel off, nodding as L described where the safe house would be (close by, excellent) and the steps he’d take to set up the fake death. 

 

L had been about to say something else, but Light chose that moment to stand up, and the words flew away as he stared, mouth hanging slightly open. _He only does that to distract me, doesn’t he?_ he thought to himself, swallowing hard as his gaze followed the water droplets sliding down Light’s body. _Safe room, I was going to say something about that. Fuck._

 

L pulled the plug and stood up, stepping out of the tub into the towel Light held out for him. He gave Light an amused look now. “Getting bored of scheming already?” _Or do you just want to get me into bed with you?_ “I’ll admit, if you are, I won’t complain.” A smirk spread across L’s face as he stepped closer to Light, pressing a lingering kiss to the corner of his mouth and reaching around to squeeze Light’s ass before stepping around the teen and picking up his discarded clothes. “You’re _very_ good at distracting me.”

 

Light hummed and pressed closer as he felt L’s hands groping him, plans and schemes starting to hold much less charm. Light slid his hands up L’s back, dragging his nails down softly before the man pulled away to get his clothes, bending over and...well, Light couldn’t help but smack that tempting flesh with a giggle. “Who’s distracting who?”

 

That smack pulled a yelp from L, and he straightened up, throwing a playful glare back at Light as he tossed his clothes into the hamper, stepping to the counter now to towel dry his hair, a pleased, anticipatory smile spreading across his face. 

 

Light draped the towel around L’s shoulders, using it to pull him closer as they kissed. He murmured, “Also...Aiber’s not an idiot, I’m sure. I think you might hint at things and see what he thinks, before you come out and say it. The manner Beyond is _supposedly_ dying is going to be a big clue to him.” In fact, Light might be slightly disappointed if Aiber _didn’t_ put two and two together. “Anyway, think about it.” 

 

 _Just hint at it?_ “I’m sure Aiber has come up with some theories by now, considering I’ve already told him he’ll be faking a death,” L murmured against Light’s lips, a slight shiver going through him at the feeling of so much naked skin pressed against him, soft hands smoothing over his own skin. The urge to _touch more_ was great, and he kneaded his fingers into Light’s skin, giggling as he whispered, “He’ll figure it out, don’t you worry.” _And Wedy will figure it out by extension, if they’ve talked to each other about what I’m asking them to do currently. I wouldn’t be surprised if they’ve already worked out that Light is Kira._ “But enough of _that_ ,” he added, pulling back and grinning now.

 

Light threw his towel into the hamper and headed into the bedroom, crawling up on the freshly-made bed and laying on his stomach, thinking as he waited for L. _So he wants me to tie him up again? Wonder if he wants something elaborate from my book._ He got up from the bed and opened the safe, leaving it open and taking L’s laptop, some rope, and his kinbaku book. The laptop was set next to the TV and he went back to lounging on the bed, flipping through the pages to get some inspiration.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mission Impossible: [theme](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGSUjuSBt1A)


	46. Breathing Exercises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> L requested Light tie up him again and Light won’t disappoint.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smut ahoy!

When L went back into the bedroom, dragon in hand, it was to see Light lounging naked on the bed with his kinbaku book open in front of him, rope lying coiled on the bed beside him. _Oh shit, he’s actually going to do it._ L sucked in a harsh breath, grinning fiercely at the intense spike of arousal that went through him at the mere _thought_ of being tied up. 

 

Light’s eyes flicked up as L entered the room, visualizing various poses and rope conformations as he gazed hungrily at L’s pale body. 

 

L moved to crawl onto the bed beside Light, pressing side by side against him as he murmured, “Find anything you want to try on me yet?”

 

Light smirked, turning a glossy page of the book. Being intentionally obtuse, “Maybe.” He looked through a couple more pages, deciding that how he wanted L tonight wasn’t just _one_ of these pictures, but a mixture of several. He snapped the book shut and sat up on his knees, deviously grinning behind his hand as he imagined how his creation would look. 

 

L blinked, barely getting a glance at the images on the pages before Light closed the book and sat up, studying him. “Maybe?” He gave Light a pouty look at that devious little grin the teen was trying to hide, a little disappointed that he wouldn’t even be able to get a good feel for what to _expect_ , but he only let out an overly dramatic sigh before smiling ironically. 

 

“I think...I think it’s going to be a surprise, and you’re just going to have to trust me.” Light stood up and tossed the book onto the nightstand, then went to L’s laptop to look for the recordings of their ‘activities’ but not starting it yet. 

 

 _He wants to surprise me?_ L grinned in anticipation, wondering what Light had in store for him. “Okay, _fine_ , I trust you, but are you at least going to take pictures or something, after? I’d _really_ like to see it when you’re done, if that’s alright with you.” He watched as Light stood and went to his laptop, giddy at the idea of _finally_ getting to actually _see_ what had gone down on Friday afternoon. _I hope the video is as hot as the actual thing was._

 

“Pictures? Hmm, if I remember to. But maybe while I’m doing the bindings, you can show me what _you_ did during my surveillance. You told me you recorded it.” Light turned to L, picking up the length of rope and uncoiling it with an expression of lust on his face.  “Then when you’re tied, we can watch what I did to _you_.”

 

Light’s suggestion made L flush as he remembered what he had confirmed during their pun battle. “Oh… uh, you remembered that, huh?” _Well, now HE’S going to get an eyeful, not that he hasn’t already seen the truncated version._ Sheepishly, grinning as he ducked his head, L commented, “If you want to, sure. So, uh… _that_ particular video is in a different folder than the videos of _us_ . Look for the folder called ‘breathing exercises’. And, uh… it’ll be the video file at the very bottom of the list.” _Oh god, I hope he doesn’t get weirded out by how many videos I HAVE in there…_

 

“‘Breathing exercises’? Really?” Light giggled as he clicked into that folder in the laptop, scrolling down through quite a few other videos to the bottom. _There has to be around thirty videos in here._ “My, my. Someone’s got quite the affinity for recording themselves sucking their own cock, don’t they?” 

 

The blush on L’s face became more pronounced at Light’s commentary, spreading down his chest, and he swallowed hard as Light clicked on the video, breath coming faster as it started playing on the big screen. _Oh my god, this is going to be so surreal._ His tone was more than a little sheepish as he said, “What? I mean… it’s an accurate title, wouldn’t you say? I _had_ more…” _But those were from the awkward learning stages, so…_ He wasn’t going to bother explaining _why_ he had recorded so many; he _could_ have said it was for ‘self education’, but he really didn’t need so many videos for _that_. Giggling, “Are you complaining?”

 

Light gave L a knowing look, letting him know that he didn’t need to explain why he had so many videos of that. Before he’d met L, Light jerked off in front of the mirror more often than not; it was hot and he liked how his body looked in the act. If he’d had assurances of privacy and secure servers like L, he’d probably have a trove of filthy videos too. But it just seemed unwise given he was already inviting the possibility of someone looking on his computer during the Kira investigation (that someone being L, who in retrospect might not have minded examining such ‘evidence’). “I am not complaining _one bit_.” Sliding over, Light leaned down and placed a single kiss on L’s shoulder then gave it a firm bite.

 

Swallowing hard, L shifted to lay down on his side on the bed, staring eagerly between Light’s face and the rope in his hands as the teen advanced on him again. “I didn’t expect to watch that back, honestly...” He trailed off as Light sat down on the bed beside him, letting out a sharp moan when he felt teeth sink into his shoulder. 

 

Light hummed against L’s skin to hear him moan, licking against the bite mark languidly. _Like hell you didn’t expect to watch that back. L, you can be such a liar sometimes._ He clicked on the video, and at first it only showed L sitting at his desk with a _very_ intense look of concentration on his face. The recording camera must have been in his laptop, which of course gave an excellent view. Light looked between L on the screen and the real L, ducking his head on the bed and blushing, thinking what fun this was about to be. 

 

“How are you going to direct me tonight?” L asked breathlessly, reaching up to clutch at Light’s shoulder. “What do you need me to do...?”

 

Light spoke low, hypnotic. “I’m going to bind more of you this time, not just your arms and chest, but your legs and your neck too.” It was the reason he didn’t already have the collar around L’s neck; there would be coils of rope around it for him to grab onto this time. _I’ll give him a general picture of what I plan to do, but the details he’ll have to watch for himself._ “I want you to lie on your back and I’ll do your legs first. This binding will mimic a forced crouch so it shouldn’t be too uncomfortable for you.” 

 

L went quiet when Light started speaking low in his ear, explaining what he planned to do. The words were forming a vague impression in his head, adding more detail and firming up as Light described it more, and finally, L couldn’t hold back the low whimper that had been trying to escape as Light whispered his plans into his skin. 

 

Light dragged his mouth up L’s shoulder and neck, nibbling on the still-bruised skin. “After that, I’ll bind your hands in front of you this time. And your wrists will be tied to your neck.” He gripped L’s wrists and pressed them together against the man’s chest and close to his neck, breath coming faster before he released them again. _Fuck, I’m going to destroy him when this is done._

 

“ _Shit_ , Light,” L moaned, panting softly when Light pressed his wrists together in front of his neck, the demonstration of what was to come nearly took his breath away.

 

Light forced himself to pull away, licking his lips as he picked up the rope again. “Alright, legs first.” He pointed with the rope in his fist. “Lie on your back, knees bent and apart.”

 

 _Legs first, hmm?_ “Want me to… lay back like last night?” L’s voice was breathless as he met Light’s eyes. “That way we can both _watch_ , and all.” He wiggled around so he was laying on his back, tilting his neck back a bit to glance at the screen with lips parted as he did what Light asked him to do. 

 

When L moved to lay on his back in the same position as last night, Light couldn’t help but bite his lip as he remembered how hard he’d come fucking L’s mouth. “That works.” _Although that’s a rather dangerous position for you to be in right now._

 

The way Light was biting his lip gave L pause, and for a moment, he was confused. But he quickly realized what position he was in, sending a knowing, hopeful grin Light’s way. _Maybe if I’m good, he’ll give me a repeat of last night._ “Liking what you see?” he asked in a hush. 

 

Light met L’s eyes at the question if he liked what he saw, nodding slowly, eyes wide. “Of course...that’s incredibly hot.” He watched the screen for a moment, enjoying the voyeuristic thrill of L in an act he never thought anyone would ever see but himself. Quieter, “And especially that you were thinking about me, watching me.” That stroked his ego of course, which was never a turn off. In fact, it was not easy to focus with the barrage of arousing stimuli everywhere, but he was determined to get L properly tied before anything really happened, knowing it would be worth the wait.

 

Looking over his shoulder at the screen, Light heard muffled mumbling and saw L wiggling out of his jeans on the video. “Wonder what I was doing that made you drop your pants so fast, hmm?”

 

“Ohhh, damn, heh, that must have been when you were stroking your neck - _god_ , I wanted to jump your bones so badly,” L explained, staring at the screen. On the screen, his past self was tugging his shirt over his head, hair in wild disarray and looking absolutely starstruck as he stroked lube slick fingers up his cock. L looked away from the screen again, giggling self consciously at that reminder of how indulgent he had been. _I wouldn’t change one bit of this little episode, honestly._ “That was _really_ hot, watching you do that.” Arousal was already beginning to throb through his body, and he squirmed, turning his attention back to give Light an anticipatory grin.

 

Light sat up on his knees, scooting closer and already getting quite hard just watching the recording. As L started to stroke himself on screen, he whispered, “Fuck…” exhaling harshly and getting to work lacing the rope around L’s leg to bind it into a bent, stationary position. 

 

His hand traveled over L’s leg, brushing lightly up and down his thigh while purposefully avoiding anywhere too sensitive. _Later._ “Alright, you remember from before? Try to stay as still as you can. I’m going to make it a little tighter this time, so let me know if it is too uncomfortable.” Last time, Light had counted on L being slightly nervous with it being his first time, and had made the bindings looser in case he panicked. _That didn’t happen. I think he can take the ropes how they are meant to be now._ “There might be a small amount of pain, but...if you let it just sink into you rather than distract you, it might be, hmm….an exquisite sensation after a while.”

 

A grin split his face and L nodded emphatically to Light’s question. “I remember, Light,” he murmured, forcing himself still and exhaling slowly. “Do what you need to do, I can take it.” 

 

Light looped the rope around L’s upper thigh several times then wrapped it around his ankle to bring the foot back and tie it to the back of L’s thigh. The other end of the rope looped around his waist, braiding to the other side where Light repeated the same tie on L’s other leg and ankle. The methodical repetition and creating the precise aesthetic structure of the ropework was always calming to Light, and despite the myriad distractions--- _shit, the sounds L is making on that video are making me throb--_ he focused on making the ties tight and perfect. Legs finished, Light swallowed hard as he looked L over, his own hand straying to grip himself idly. He met L’s eyes, “How does it feel?” 

 

As Light began tying his legs, L found himself having to repeatedly take deep, calming breaths, _especially_ when the ‘small amount of pain’ Light had warned him of quickly melted into a warm, slightly pulsing sensation that was _much_ more distracting than _pain_ would have been. “Oh god, Light, that feels… _really_ good,” he whispered, exhaling hard once Light had finished. “I thought you said there might be a little _pain_.”

 

Light was pleasantly surprised to see how much L seemed to be genuinely enjoying the tighter ropes, and he thought, _wait until you’re completely tied and that feeling is everywhere._   
  
L tried to distract himself from the creeping, arousing sensation by closing his eyes, though that only brought the erotic sounds coming from the video into sharper focus. _Oh god, that sounds completely obscene,_ he thought, cracking one eye open to see what was happening on the screen. Sure enough, the scene on the screen had him sitting with his legs splayed wide, hunched over with his lips wrapped around himself and bobbing shallowly, fingers trailing up and down the shaft and then lower every so often, and L had to giggle breathlessly at the erotic image it made. 

 

Satisfied with the work on L’s lower body, Light had to move L into another position to do his arms, chest, and neck. “Alright, I need you to sit up now.” He crawled over L, lifting him up easily onto his bound knees. But the feeling of L’s body against him, nearly-helpless and panting softly with arousal, made Light not want to let go. His eyes flicked from L’s eyes to his lips, nostrils flaring as he heard a muffled moan from the video. _Focus, Light, focus!_

 

L found himself panting, arms going around Light’s shoulders instinctively to steady himself. Light seemed to be having almost as enjoyable experience as _he_ was, if the way the teen’s eyes flicked over his face was any indication.

 

”Maybe it’s time for a haircut, you can’t even see my eyes anymore,” L remarked, trying to make Light laugh and distract him from the fact that he was getting ridiculously turned on by… well, everything. “But then, you also can’t see what I’m watching, so really, maybe it doesn’t matter.”

 

Light laughed, shaking his head as he started a series of ties up L’s back from the wrapping at his waist. “No, I like your long hair. And I know very well what you were watching. Kira, getting himself off after sneakily killing criminals right under L’s nose.”

 

L was just opening his mouth to say something when his on screen double _moaned_. _Oh shit, that’s…_

 

Light steadied L and let go, breathing deep and slow as he turned L around to face the screen. “Wouldn’t want to deprive you of the entertainment.” 

 

L’s eyes widened and he could only stare at the screen with lips parted, unable to speak or even _do_ anything at the moment. _The entertainment?_ He snorted, though the way Light clearly needed to calm himself was hot enough to tear a low moan from him. “You’re not making it easy for me to remain calm and keep still,” L breathed, a slight whine to his voice as he complied, torn between wanting to watch the screen and wanting to watch what Light was doing. He caught sight of the full length mirror as he continued to take deep, even breaths, and silently cursed himself for not thinking to ask Light to move it so he could see what the teen was doing. _After. I will ask later._

 

A wicked little thrill went through L at hearing just how much Light was liking the video, and he squirmed again, grinning. “You know... I don’t remember ever being as _loud_ in my pleasure as I am with you. It’s a much different feeling to get yourself off than it is for someone else to do it, far more intense.” And though the double on screen wasn’t currently being _overly_ loud, L knew that it was only a matter of time before Light could hear exactly what he meant. _You inspire me to be so much more passionate about everything._

 

Light scooted behind L, holding the rope around to his front. “Pull your arms tight to your chest. I’m going to do this part from behind you.” This particular pose brought L’s wrists close together and bound his forearms to his upper arms in a series of woven knots. After both arms were immobilized, the end of the rope was coiled around L’s wrists and secured around L’s neck. Light made sure that this was the one tie that wasn’t very tight for obvious safety reasons, but it also left _just_ enough slack for a hand to be inserted to grasp it. _And that could make it tight, but I could control it._

 

L couldn’t help but feel proud of himself for managing to stay still as Light immobilized his arms, but as Light began wrapping the rope around his neck and wrists, L could feel his breathing stuttering, and he whispered, “Wait- _shit_ , Light, please give me a sec to calm down.” _God_ , he wanted to squirm _already_ from the pleasant sensations spreading through him from the rope, but now the thought of having his _neck_ bound was making him hyperventilate. _Oh god, how good is THAT going to feel?_

 

Light backed off, pausing to give L a little space to adapt to the sensations. “Everything alright? Do you want me to stop?” 

 

L exhaled hard and whispered through a ragged breath, “No, no, I don’t want you to _stop_ , just…” He managed to get his breathing under control finally, and bowed his head forward slightly, saying softly, “Okay… I’m okay now. Thank you.” 

 

Light nodded, resuming the ropework until the last of the rope at L’s neck was knotted into the ties at his back, completing the entire pose. 

 

L smiled at Light’s careful motions, eyes straying back to the screen at the ragged sounds of pleasure and _suction, holy hell-_ that were permeating the room. _Holy fuck, I WAS really loud doing this_ , he thought to himself as Light pulled his attention again. His gaze followed the teen before looking down at what little he could see of the rope work, breathing going ragged again when he looked back up at Light.

 

Light was rather proud of himself since he’d had to merge several different pictures from his book, and couldn’t help but stand up and walk around to admire how it looked. “Oh god…” He swallowed hard, the sight of L _entirely_ and _very tightly_ restrained on his bed was making his heart race with arousal. _I don’t even know how I want to take him first._ He whispered, “I’m done,” and then walked over to the safe, impatiently scooping out everything and throwing the armful on the bed before crawling up beside L. 

 

“Light,” L whispered, testing his mobility and letting out a low moan when he realized, _I have none, oh shit. He could do whatever he wanted to me, and I wouldn’t be able to stop him._ A harsh breath left him, and he could feel arousal and anticipation swirling through him as he watched Light dump everything on the bed before moving him onto his back again. _Shit, I WANT him to take advantage of this, how fucked is that?_  

 

Light easily lifted L by the ropes at his chest and pushed him to lay on his back again, his legs bound and splayed. He looked over the ropes, leaning down to lick teasing stripes along the skin between the bindings excitedly. “If you want me to change anything, better tell me now while I still have a modicum of self-control.”

 

“ _Light_ ,” L moaned again, writhing at the added stimulation of eager tongue against his skin before speaking low in between pants, “I honestly don’t care what you do, just _do_ it, this is _so_ good, Light.”

 

Light purred as he continued to lick between the ropes at L’s upper thigh, “I'm glad you’re enjoying it already.” He crawled up L’s body, leaning in to whisper in his ear, “But I intend to take my time with you tonight. I didn’t go to all this trouble for it to be over in a few minutes.” 

 

 _Good._ “It seems you’ve got me right where you want me,” L whispered, squirming and letting out a low whimper as Light’s tongue dragged against his skin. The sensation was thrilling, and _maddening_ , and he wanted more of it. “You always like to tease me, and I really don’t make it easy for you, do I? Always taking my pleasure myself when you’re too slow, or demanding satisfaction on _my_ terms...”

 

“You’ll have no choice but to be patient tonight.” Light sat back up and pushed L’s legs apart, staring down at the man’s throbbing erection for a moment before reaching over to take the vibrating plug from the pile of things he’d dumped on the bed. He held it up for L to see, bringing it close to L’s face with an evil little smile. “I’ve been wanting to try this out on you. I have a feeling you’ll like it.” He eyed the ball gag too, but decided to save that for a little later. He wanted to hear _all_ of L’s reactions at first. 

 

L’s breath caught; the look on Light’s face as he stared was turning him on like crazy, and when the teen brought the plug to his face, he said with a low whimper, “We were going to test that out last night, too, weren’t we?” _Until we got too drunk and you just fucked my throat instead._  

 

“I remember we had a change of plans. But no time like the present.” Light squirted some lube on his fingers and circled L’s entrance slowly, teasingly. L wouldn’t be able to push down on his hand or do anything more than wiggle with how tightly Light had him bound. Literally any significant move would have to be done by Light, and that thought made his breathing speed as he slipped a finger inside, moving it in and out maddeningly slow. 

 

A low hiss left L at the feeling of slick fingers teasing him, and he wished that he had the mobility to control _something_ , because the way Light was teasing him and then pressing one finger inside of him was just making him throb all the harder as he strained for a little relief. “ _Shit_ , Light, you are such a _tease_ ,” he whispered.

 

On the screen, L had pulled off himself and was staring at the laptop screen, panting hard and looking like he was trying not to come yet. Light smiled knowingly, “Were you waiting to come with me, when I did?”

 

L’s hooded gaze went back to the screen to see what Light was talking about, and he exhaled hard. “ _Yes_ ,” he whispered, eyes flashing as he looked at Light with a tiny, impish smile on his face. “I was… Even if I was the only one who _knew_ , I wanted to come with _you_. It’s what I did the first night too.” _Though the first time, I wasn’t sucking my own cock._

 

Light smiled at the confirmation that L had wanted to get off with him that night, it was everything he’d hoped for at the time, the whole reason he’d done it. _To drive him crazy for me._ Every one of L’s little squirms and wiggles beneath the ropes were turning him on more and more, and it was taking enormous effort to control himself. 

 

He added another finger, twisting them a few times before curling up to stroke against L’s insides to pinpoint where to aim the plug. Keeping his voice even, despite the more frantic moaning coming from the TV as L started licking and sucking again, “I wonder how many times you’ve come in a single night. Tell me.” 

 

That second finger twisting into him pulled a breathy gasp from L, and he wiggled his hips as much as he could to try and tease Light right _back_ , right up until Light asked _that_ question. “Oh my god, um.” Flushed as he already was, L blushed even more as he answered evasively, “Well, with _you_ , so far the record is four times, either in a full day, _or_ a single night.” _The night we met, four. Wednesday night before we went to sleep, four. Yesterday overall, four. Shit, we have a LOT of sex._  

 

Light pulled his fingers out and slid the lubed plug in their place, wiggling it around until the found the right position. “Four?” He let out a low chuckle, moving the plug side to side to rub slowly against L’s prostate. “I think that’s our tally the past few times.” 

 

L had been _going_ to explain that, but Light chose that moment to insert the plug, pulling a long, drawn out whimpering sound from him as he squirmed, murmuring breathlessly. “Why, uh… why do you ask?” _Or did he mean solo?_

 

Light watched L’s face and left the plug where it was when he got the best response. “I was just curious as to what your...stamina was. Purely objective curiosity, of course. No reason.” The way he said the last bit sounded like a lie even to his own ears. _Which it was._ Light imagined that L was probably holding back how horny he’d been on his own, but perhaps Light would just test the theory for himself. _Objective curiosity._

 

 _I knew he would pick up on that_ , L thought, letting out a soft, breathy exhale at what Light was doing. “Oh, uh… generally, the most in one night has been three, on my own. But, uh-” L cut himself off with a low ‘ _ahhh!_ ’ of pleasure, eyes narrowed nearly to slits as he squirmed. Light’s words rang false, and even through the haze of pleasure beginning to cloud his brain, L smirked at him. _Liar_.  “I could tell you my one time record, unless you’d like to guess,” he said teasingly.

 

Reaching over to the pile, Light picked up a small remote control and palmed it. “Do you remember this toy has a few...special features?” He pushed his thumb up the remote’s slider for the vibration intensity, taking it up to a mid-level for a few seconds before leaving it on the second-lowest setting. That would keep L on edge and build the pleasure, but not be overwhelming. _Yet._

 

“I- _oh!_ ” That brief, unexpected burst of mildly intense stimulation pulled a surprised whine from L, and he stared up at Light with wide eyes when Light brought the intensity back down. It was still _on_ , though, and he was _definitely_ feeling it. “I… vaguely remember something about another feature,” he said breathlessly.

 

Standing up, Light walked around behind L and grabbed the ropes at his neck, tugging his head off the bed until it fell backwards slightly. They could both still see L on screen if they looked to the side, which was a good view right now since L in the video seemed to be on the verge of orgasm, licking and sucking frantically. Light grasped L’s hair and turned his head to make him watch his image moan loudly and swallow several times, sucking down his cum and not spilling a drop.  

 

L giggled when Light tugged him backwards on the bed, having a good idea what was coming. _Apparently, it’s my on screen double,_ he thought, lips parted as that image embedded itself into his head. “ _Shit_ ,” he whispered, gaze flickering up to Light for the moment before going right back to the screen and devouring the images. “You, ah… you should _know_ by now, Light,” he breathed, licking his lips and transfixed. “That you make me horny as _hell_ , I mean.” 

 

Light looked down at L, smirking, “Must have been a lot, look at you swallow. Was it good?” He looked back up, grinning as L in the video was reaching out with shaky fingers to turn off the recording with a blissful look on his face.

 

Glancing back at Light, L merely smiled up in response. As far as he was concerned, the answer was self explanatory. _SO good._

 

Light turned L’s head back, lining himself up in front of those tempting lips and teasing himself against them before sliding in. _I’ll start the other movie in a moment._ He gripped the thickly-coiled rope connecting L’s neck and wrists, using it and L’s hair to pull his body to meet his hips as he thrust all the way to the back of L’s throat. He moaned loudly and stopped when he was completely engulfed, “Oh….oh _f-fuck…_ ” Snapping his hips again he started up a rhythm, probably being more rough than he should be but unable to hold back.

 

All thought flew from L’s mind as Light nudged against his lips, opening his mouth to _take it_. All teasing was forgotten, because the way Light was gripping at his hair and snapping his hips forward roughly into his mouth was _heaven_ , and L couldn’t help but let out a loud, muffled moan around him. He still couldn’t do much _more_ than squirm with how tight the bindings were, but it was still worth a shot, because he wanted to _touch._

 

Light was trembling as he kept pushing into L’s throat, his hand sliding from the rope at L’s wrists further down his chest and stomach. The feeling of smooth skin beneath his fingertips interrupted by the tight ropes felt so sensually twisted, making him want to scratch and pinch as much as caress. He put one knee up on the edge of the bed and leaned forward on his hands, slowing down his thrusts for a moment to keep from shooting. _Shit...this is so good…_ He laughed low through his pants, “Fuck, I love seeing you like this. Unable to move. Unable to speak.”

 

L could do nothing but _react_ to everything Light was doing to him, unable to do much more than swallow hard around the teen, Light’s touch against his skin sending shivering sensations through him. He let out a disgruntled little whine when Light stilled, but hearing that low voice just made his body clench in desire. It made him think of their first night together, after Light’s confession, when the teen had told L all those dirty little fantasies about what _Kira_ wanted to do to him. _You have certainly made good use of my mouth._

 

Light pushed his cock all the way in, as far as he could, making L have to adjust his throat around him. “Unable to get yourself off. Needing me to do it.” He looked down at L’s straining member, watching it twitch on his stomach from the toy inside him. “But I can do it, can’t I?” 

 

 _Ugh, Light, you can definitely get me off_ , he found himself thinking in amusement, swallowing and moaning around Light’s cock, his own _throbbing_ and twitching against his stomach. The low pulses of vibration against his prostate felt _incredible._

 

Light leaned down further to slide his lips across L’s cock, teasing up its length as he reached for the remote on the bed. _Maybe let’s up the intensity._ He pushed his thumb up the slider gradually, starting to move his hips again and flicking his tongue against L’s cock, lapping at the precum at the tip. Light wasn’t going to last much longer, not with the way that he could _feel_ L’s desperation to get off in the way he was sucking and licking, and he wanted them to get off together, to overwhelm L’s senses so he _had_ to come. 

 

A pleased whine slipped out as Light _finally_ began teasing his cock, and the sharp spikes of desire that flared through L every time Light thrust particularly vigorously down his throat were beginning to drive him _wild_ with need. The intensity of the vibration was increasing with each lick, each thrust, and all he could do was react. _Like your very own living sex doll, Kira? Just like you wanted._

 

Feeling L struggle and squirm under him sent a spike of need through Light and he pushed the toy’s vibrations to maximum at the same time as he engulfed L’s cock and sucked _hard._ Light wanted to feel L _scream_ around him.

 

L found himself moaning, practically _sobbing,_ out against the nearly overwhelming onslaught. A litany of _please, please, holy shit, PLEASE let me come_ was cycling through his head, and his eyes squeezed shut tightly when the vibration intensity suddenly spiked; his body clenched _hard_ around the toy, and seconds later, he was spilling inside the tight, wet heat of Light’s mouth with a muffled scream before clamping down and sucking _hard_ at Light’s cock, throat working rhythmically to give the teen as much pleasure as he could.

 

Light grasped under L’s bound legs as he felt the man tense up and start to moan in earnest, jerking his hips forward by the ropes and plunging him further into Light’s mouth. That seemed to be all that was needed to push L over the edge and Light felt his mouth flooded with cum, swallowing again and again as the toy’s vibrations extended L’s orgasm. The sound of L’s muffled scream made Light growl around L’s cock in return, and he could hold back no longer, shooting in a blinding rush of pleasure. L was sucking so _hard_ and working his length so desperately that Light’s nails dug into the flesh of L’s legs as he shuddered, hips twisting to push in further for more, more, more. _How can you make me feel this way, and feel so much?_

 

 _Holy SHIT_ , was the only thought that went through L’s head before all coherent thought left him in his euphoria, shuddering as the waves of pleasure just didn’t seem to end. Everything was too good - the sensations of lips and tongue working him, swallowing him down, of nails digging into his skin too sharp, the overwhelming emotions rushing through him too raw as he determinedly milked Light’s cock for every drop of cum. 

 

Dizzy, Light finally let L’s cock fall from his lips, squeezing up the softening flesh to get the last drops. He rolled his hips to free L’s mouth, sitting up reluctantly to scoot L back onto the bed into a more comfortable position. He panted softly as he turned the plug back off, “The things you can do to me. Amazing.” 

 

By the time Light finally turned off the toy, L was nearly _sobbing_ in relief, and even when Light pulled out and readjusted him on the bed, he could only gaze at the teen with a blissed out look on his face. It took him a moment to process what Light was saying, but he finally smiled happily and whispered, “ _You_ are amazing.”

 

Light licked his salty lips with a drunken smile, curling around L’s tied body as he traced his fingertips over flushed skin between the ropes. Scooting closer, he pressed an open-mouth kiss on L’s shoulder then met his swollen lips, kissing him gentle and slow, just relishing how both of them tasted, the silky glide of tongue. Light pulled back, looking half-drunk as he gazed at L. “I love you.” He stroked through L’s tangled hair, mussed from being pulled. Grinning, “I love to use you too.” 

 

The way Light curled around him, fingers tracing over his skin and pressing gentle kisses to his skin, his mouth, filled L with warmth, and he closed his eyes as he kissed Light back sweetly. He was disappointed to only get a short taste of that tongue, but Light’s gentle, heartfelt words made up for it. “I love you too,” he said in a hush, feeling utterly boneless and relaxed, and luxuriating in the way Light stroked his hair, fingers twitching for a moment before stilling.

 

Light kissed him once more before sitting up and stretching, giving L a faux-apologetic look. “No, I’m not planning on letting you out of those. Not until I’ve gotten _everything_ I want from you tonight.” Actually, if L protested in earnest, Light would probably let him out, but he had a few other things in mind he wanted to do. _And since you let spill you can come more than four times in a night? I always was a competitive person._

 

After a moment, L blinked his eyes open again and smiled up at Light, working his jaw a little before swallowing and saying a little louder, “Who… who said I want out, Light?” His voice sounded a little less hoarse than normal, and he giggled, blushing as he tilted his chin to look at Light more fully. He was intrigued by the teen’s comment about getting ‘everything he wanted’ tonight. _And what DO you want tonight? Does this have anything to do with your question earlier?_

 

Light gave him a lopsided smile when L said he didn’t want to get out of the ropes. Hell yes. Quietly, “So you’re enjoying it then? Being at Kira’s mercy?” He nuzzled against L’s jaw, nipping at the fingertips right in front of his face from where L’s hands were bound.

 

A low chuckle left L at that question, because didn’t he always enjoy being at Kira’s mercy? He merely let out a soft, ‘Mmmhmm’ in response, grinning as he flexed his fingers, flicking them teasingly at Light. “Though if you aren’t going to let me out just yet, could you get me some water?” His mind sluggishly kicked into gear as he giggled again over everything. He had no intention of putting up much of a fight about getting out of the ropes. It turned out, he rather liked the way Light was able to move him around so easily, position him however he wanted. _It saves me having to move too much on my own, actually._  “Pretty please? With a cherry on top?”

 

Light laughed softly at the request, planting a lingering kiss on L’s lips before pushing himself up off the bed. “Of course. Don’t..ah...go anywhere.” 

 

“How in the hell do you expect me to go anywhere in the first place, fly?” L giggled, continuing in a sarcastic, teasing tone, “Maybe wriggle off the bed like a snake?” 

 

Light giggled as he walked into the kitchen and filled a glass with water, but did a double take as he spied the cake pops that they’d taken from the HQ earlier. _Oh, this might be fun._ Grabbing a couple of them, he headed back into the bedroom and climbed back on the bed with the water glass.

 

Light’s giggle made L grin, and as the teen got up to walk into the kitchen, L called, “Ooh, I know! I could teleport like Nightcrawler!” _He’s probably ignoring my stupid commentary by now,_ he thought with another giggle. He fell silent when Light walked back in with a couple cake pops, eyes glinting with anticipation. “Oh… those look good.”

 

Light laid the pops down and scooped underneath L’s head, helping him sip the water from the glass Light was holding to his lips. “Here you go.” Light was feeling a little playfully evil and pulled the cup away from L’s lips to make L reach for it. He pretended to be _very_ sorry, a look of consternation and concern on his face as the cool water dribbled down L’s cheek and neck. “Oh no, how clumsy of me.” 

 

L was perhaps a little _too_ preoccupied with the cake pops, because he failed to notice the playful energy coming off of Light until he felt cool water dripping down his neck from where it had missed his mouth. “Hey!” Despite how nice it felt on his overheated skin, L still gave Light a disgruntled look, declaring, “You did that on _purpose_.” _What is he doing?_

 

Light actually wanted to goad L into being _just_ slightly pissed off. Not mad enough to get out of the ropes, but perhaps angry enough to let his brattiness come out. Light let L have one more sloppy sip before giving him a shit-eating grin and holding up a cake pop. “Here’s a flavor we haven’t tried before. Chocolate cake with…” He took a bite, eyes closing as he savored it. “Oh...raspberry mousse inside. Divine.” Light imagined that if there was a sure-fire way to get L pissed, it was to eat something delicious in front of him and not share.

 

When Light held the glass to L’s lips again, he eyed the teen carefully before taking another sip of water, a low sound of annoyance leaving him when Light took it away too fast. _That wasn’t enough by a long shot, Light, what are you playing at?_ “Light, I’m _thirsty_ , come on,” he complained, only trailing off when Light held up the cake pop. “Chocolate and raspberry…”

 

Licking his lips, L grinned up at him, waiting expectantly for Light to give him a taste, but it seemed that Light had _other_ ideas. “Hey… I want to try.” Staring hard up at the teen, L thought he could see hints of a smirk on Light’s lips, and his eyes narrowed. _Are you deliberately trying to annoy me?_ “Light!” He squirmed in his bindings, wriggling in Light’s lap to no avail before subsiding, breathing out in a huff of frustration. “Are you going to _share_ , or do I have to stop giving you _blowjobs_?” He had to refrain from giggling at that threat, because honestly? _That’ll never happen, who the hell am I kidding?_ Still, it was worth a shot.

 

Light laughed outright at L’s threat, having to pull the half-eaten cake pop out of his mouth so he wouldn’t choke. “I’ve never heard an emptier threat in my life, L. You’d sooner give up breathing.” Tears were springing to his eyes from the fury mixed with amusement on L’s face, but he managed to find the remote to the TV and start the _other_ video. _You really look adorable when you’re angry._

 

L tried to maintain his veneer of irritation, he really did, but that laugh from Light just pulled a tiny little smirk from him. “I’m afraid I have to plead guilty on all charges,” he conceded, biting at his lip to stifle the smirk. “But in my _defence_ ,” he continued, tone playful now even as he sent a pouty expression at Light, breath leaving him for a moment as Light tugged him upright and settled behind him on the bed. “- Kira _does_ have a bad habit of teasing me by denying me delicious desserts. I can’t be held responsible for any carnage that results under normal circumstances.” 

 

Light sat back on the bed and shifted L upright, pulling him up by the ropes and turning him to face the TV before moving behind him. “I was _just_ having a little fun. You can’t expect Kira not to take full advantage of taunting his rival in such a _compromising_ position.” He’d calmed down enough to kiss along L’s jaw to his pouty lips, capturing his mouth and pushing a little bit of the raspberry mousse inside. 

 

Trailing off, L let out a soft sound at the feeling of lips against his jaw, turning his head slightly to meet Light’s searching lips with his. The taste of chocolate and raspberry on his tongue surprised him, and he chewed slowly before swallowing, pulling back to smile at Light. He whispered, affection apparent in his tone, “Kira _also_ has a habit of making it up to me in very enjoyable ways, though. It tastes incredible.” 

 

“Mmmm. See, doesn’t it taste better like this?” Light took another bite of the cake pop and fed L again the same way, licking into his mouth to savor the sweet taste too. 

 

“Mhmm…” L savored the second bite, giggling and sucking gently on Light’s tongue. When the teen pulled away, he gave him a bright smile, teasing softly, “ _You_ taste incredible. Kira is _good_ to me, for a supposed rival.”

 

Pulling away, Light hugged around L’s middle, mouthing against the rope and looking up at the screen over L’s shoulder as their avatars were displayed. Softly, “Now you get to see how fucking hot you were on Friday.” L was already tied by the time Light had remembered to start filming, and he was circling L to check the bindings, but it wouldn’t be long before the fireworks would start.

 

L couldn’t help but laugh at Light’s comment about him being ‘ _fucking hot_ ’, because until he’d seen those pictures, he would have probably scoffed at the compliment… or at least privately disagreed.

 

Light broke off the last piece of the cake, bringing it to L’s lips and pressing it and his fingers between them. He whispered into L’s ear as they watched themselves on screen, “Now do you see why I had to film it?” 

 

Watching them both on the screen together was _hot_ , especially paired with Light pressing cake into L’s mouth and letting him suck the crumbs and icing off the teen’s fingers. It was _especially_ hot seeing the way that Light’s avatar looked down at him with so many emotions flickering across his face as _L’s_ avatar undid his pants with his teeth. It was enough to make his breathing unsteady, his heart race, the way Light always looked at him, like he was the sexiest person the teen had ever seen, and when Light made his query, L whispered back, “Pictures only wouldn’t have done _this_ justice.” 

 

Light retracted his fingers, sticky with cake and saliva, and moved them lower to play with the plug still inside of L. “You know I’m going to make you wear this at work sometime.”  He angled it up, pulling it halfway out before pushing it back in. “And I’ll have the remote.” 

 

The Light on the screen was kicking out of his pants and underwear, and L found himself distracted slightly from that enticing sight by what Light was whispering in his ear. He moaned when Light’s teasing pressed the plug against his oversensitive prostate, once again wishing he had _some_ mobility. The desire to push back against what Light was doing to him was nearly overwhelming, his eyes wide as he stared up at their avatars on the screen (now on the couch, and _holy fuck_ , watching himself going down on Light like that was _so fucking sexy_ ), breathing rapid as he listened to those _evil_ little promises. 

 

Light picked up the remote and held it near, his thumb brushing over the controls but not turning it on yet. “And you’ll never know when Kira might strike.” He grinned against L’s cheek and pressed the button for the electrostimulation feature of the toy to pulse just once, briefly, grabbing onto L as he arched against him.

 

The brief pulse of electrostimulation had L arching back against Light, a whine of pleasure leaving him as his toes curled, and the warm pulse of arousal going through him left him panting in Light’s arms. “Oh, I _like_ that.” _I forgot what the other feature was,_ he thought, slightly dazed.

 

Light smirked at L’s reaction, trailing his lips over L’s cheek. “Mmm, I thought you might.” He pressed the button again, holding it for a longer pulse this time. Between L tied up in his arms and what they were watching on the screen, Light was already half-hard again. He shifted against L’s back to press against him and reached down to lightly stroke L, just toying with him to get him harder as he pressed the remote at random. “I remember how desperate I was for your mouth.” He laughed low, “But honestly, that’s not any different from every day since I’ve met you.” Light was tempted to fuck his mouth some more, but he really wanted to see L in that gag right now.

 

“I _really_ -” L started, cutting himself off with a loud, drawn out moan, arching into Light’s arms again as the shock went through him, making his cock twitch against his stomach now. He had already been mostly hard again from the video and what Light was doing, but as Light stroked him and randomly teased him with the electro stim, L was so hard it was almost painful, and Light’s commentary only made him pant all the harder, smiling. His voice was low and breathless as he said, “So _I’m_ the cockslut, and you’re addicted to my mouth. I _love_ it.” _And are you going to fuck my mouth again tonight? Right now? Or maybe later?_

 

Light switched the plug’s stimulation back to low vibrations and reached over to the pile on the bed for the ball gag. “Maybe one more sip of water before I gag you, since Kira is feeling so _generous_.” He brought the water to L’s lips (and actually let him drink it this time) before pushing the rubber ball into L’s mouth and fastening the buckle behind his head tightly. 

 

L’s breathing quickened when he saw Light reaching for the gag, squirming slightly as the vibrations started up again. _Well, if I can’t get his dick in my mouth again, at least I get the gag._ “Thank you,” he murmured quickly, gratefully taking a long swallow of water. _God, I love you, Light,_ he thought, gazing up at the teen adoringly as Light finished buckling the gag.

 

“ _....fuck…"_ Light blinked slowly as he stared-- _tied, gagged, unable to move or talk, being teased and fucked…_ He laid L down on the bed, leaning down to lick and bite a trail down L’s stomach. ”I think this is pretty close to what you told me you fantasized about, the night we first met.” _Except I bet you lied when you said it was just ‘someone.’ I bet it was Kira._

 

Lips quirking up around the edges of the gag, L nodded emphatically at Light’s comment - this had been almost _exactly_ what he’d fantasized about, being completely at Kira’s mercy and used however he wanted, though being so relentlessly teased was quite a pleasant addition. 

 

The way they were positioned, Light could still see the TV if they looked to the side, and this was the part where L had been _deliberately_ messy, and was about to get a good spanking for it. He grinned against L’s stomach as he moved lower, laughing at the memory of L’s playful defiance. “You really can be such a brat, L.” 

 

L’s gaze flicked to the screen, a sharp moan leaving him at actually _seeing_ Light’s come on his face. _I’m… oh shit. I want him to do that on PURPOSE now. Wonder if he would want to?_ Light’s laughter made L look back down at the teen, and his breath caught as he watched the teen’s face disappear between his legs. _Shit._ He was moaning again at that tongue sliding against sensitive skin, and then he frowned as Light sat up. _What is he…?_  

 

Light’s tongue lapped over L’s balls, and he was just about to pull the plug out with his teeth when he thought of something...new. _Hmm._ He sat up abruptly and grabbed the lube, squirting some on his fingers as gave L a wicked smile and moved to straddle him. “I don’t know why I’m in such an evil mood tonight L.” He held up his fingers and reached behind to probe himself with one slick finger, flinching and then relaxing with the invasion after a moment. “I think it must be from having to act so _nice_ all day with the team.” He added another finger, spreading some lube on L’s cock while he slowly fingered himself. It was becoming surprisingly _pleasant_ , and the idea of riding L while they watched L getting fucked on screen was so perfectly twisted that Light was far too aroused to mind any pain. 

 

L’s breath caught when Light straddled him, but Light’s cryptic words didn’t really make sense until L watched him… _fingering himself? Does he REALLY want that now?_ But Light wasn’t stopping. L’s eyes widened in surprise, glittering as he eagerly watched Light’s fingers pressing in, opening him _up_ as he stroked lube down L’s cock. In fact, Light seemed to be _enjoying_ it, and L’s gaze was flicking between Light’s fingers and his face, and the screen, anticipation and hope making him _throb_ with arousal. _If you’re just teasing me, Light…_

 

L seemed to be realizing what Light was about to do and was throbbing in Light’s teasing hand. He scooted forward and positioned himself in front of L’s cock, grinning while their faces were barely apart. “Now if you come right away, I’m going to have to shock you with the plug until you get hard again.” He eased back on L’s cock, letting gravity do the work of moving it further inside and stretching him. He gasped loudly, eyes going wide and watering slightly, but he wasn’t a quitter; he stilled as his body relaxed enough to slide all the way down. Light closed his eyes and rotated his hips, trying to see what all the fuss was about; it would probably take a minute to find out.

 

L’s breathing came harshly around the gag as he stared in wide eyed wonder at Light, utterly shocked when the teen actually went _through_ with it. A muffled whimper escaped him as Light pressed down onto him, that loud gasp reverberating through him as he tried to manage his excitement so he _didn’t_ just come right away in the tight heat stretching around him. 

 

Light was panting on top of L, tentatively rocking himself forward and back at different angles to try and find what friction felt best. There was discomfort but it was fading, or he was just completely distracted with how hot the situation was making him, and the amazed look on L’s face made everything worth it. 

 

L really hadn’t expected this to happen so _soon_ , but now that it _was_ , he couldn’t help but wonder for a moment if maybe Light’s drunken comments the night before had been his way of trying to get L to do it right _then_. Of course, he couldn’t spare much time for wondering when Light was so _mesmerizing,_ right _now_ , panting as he rode him. _Fuck, I’m not going to last much longer, especially if he keeps doing THAT,_ L thought, dazed at the way Light rotated his hips again; he had _really_ liked that little maneuver the first time, but now it felt _so_ much better, now they both knew what to expect.

 

 _Shit, if I had KNOWN he was going to do this, I would have asked him to untie me!_ L exhaled a sharp whine, his toes curling at the overwhelming sensation of being _squeezed_ so tightly. He was already _so_ on edge that that little wiggle of Light’s hips sent him right _over_ , body jerking against the teen with a strangled cry. _Oh FUCK._

 

Light stopped abruptly when he felt L tense underneath him, warmth shooting into his body, an amused grin replacing the look of open arousal on his face. He leaned down to look right into L’s eyes, whispering, “Did you just come?” Light ground his hips against L’s body as he giggled, then gave L a faux apologetic look as he felt L going soft inside him.

 

Panting hard, L could do little more than stare up at Light, red faced and apologetic in response to that question. If he could have said anything, he honestly didn’t even know what he would have _said_ , not that it would have mattered with the way Light was grinding against him, pulling a low groan from him as his eyes squeezed shut. _Oh fuck, LIGHT._

 

“You know what that means…” Light reached for the remote to the plug, squeezing around L as he gave the man shocks in quick succession, watching his face intently. His smile faded into a look of determination as he rose on his knees, feeling like giving L a little playful taunting. “You _finally_ get to fuck me and this is what happens?” He shocked L a few more times, adding vibrations to the mix as well. “Come on! Get that cock up so I can get off!”

 

L arched into that first shock with a gasp, body clenching with the initial jolt, and as Light continued to shock him, he couldn’t stop shuddering at how overwhelmingly _good_ it felt for his body to be stimulated like that. _FUCK_. Even the way Light was taunting him was making his whole body tingle, and even though he was a little more sluggish than normal to recover… Squirming, L stared up at Light, eyes flashing and lips stretching in a bit of a grin around the ball in his mouth as he breathed harshly, rocking his hips upwards as much as his limited mobility allowed.

 

“Ah look, L listens after all.” Light leaned over L, pressing his palms to the bed as he moved backwards on the man’s half-hard cock, keeping up the shocks until L was erect enough for him to fuck back properly. He smirked at how L was trying to meet his movements, nibbling at L’s ear as he whispered, “I bet you wish you could get out of those ropes now.” He shook his head with a grin, “But no fucking way...you’re _my_ toy tonight. I’m just using your body to get me off. _All_ of your body.” This wasn’t like he’d imagined-- rather, it was a warm pleasure that started to build and spread through his groin the more he moved, now that L was hard again. Due to the way L’s legs were tied, Light had to push backwards from where he was leaning with his hands pressed to the bed on either side of L’s head, and of course he had to do all the work since L couldn’t move an inch. Not that Light minded _that_ ; in fact, he wanted it to be that way this first time. Letting someone fuck him hadn’t ever aroused him, but it was different like this since he still had ultimate control, and different with L in general. He trusted L enough to try things he wouldn’t have otherwise. _And the idea of getting fucked seems pretty appealing after all._

 

L’s eyes fluttered shut, another shudder rippling through him at the things Light was saying to him, because _damn_ , was this good. _Fuck, I really should have at least asked for no gag tonight, even if I’m just his toy, I could have told him how fucking amazing this is._ His pleasure was building and building with every little bit of stimulation Light was giving him, and L felt like he might explode if something didn’t give soon, harsh little moans escaping around the gag as he dug his toes into the bed and pressed his hips upwards slightly with each of Light’s backwards thrusts. It wasn’t enough to affect anything, merely felt good, maybe good enough to let Light know he was _there_ , although… _He knows you’re there, you just have no way to do anything meaningful._

 

On screen, Light’s image was bending L over the couch and starting to push into him, and the sounds coming from the TV as well as the muffled ones from L beneath him were driving him crazy. He hooked his fingers into the looser ropes at L’s neck, bunching the ties and constricting L’s breathing as he moved faster on L’s cock. “I doubt you can hold on much longer like this, can you? Even after coming twice already?” Light pushed down hard, squeezing L internally before starting to move again with a low moan against L’s shoulder. It was starting to feel _very_ good, maybe even enough to get him off eventually. But Light was impatient, and he dropped the rope in favor of stroking himself, whispering, “Come on, I know you want to let go. Just do it.”

 

L’s breathing sped up again as Light grasped the rope, only for it to be cut off when he felt the rope pulled tight around his neck, causing his body to clench under the teen. Hearing Light asking him if he could hold on was almost embarrassing; at least, it was until he realized how close he really _was_ to losing it. L was sure he was to going to come again _hard_. His attention was only pulled to the screen for a short moment when his double let out a long, drawn out, almost agonized cry, and then he was focused _right_ back on how _good_ it felt for Light to be fucking down on his cock like that. _Keep strangling me like this, keep making those sexy moans, and then let go, you’ll see EXACTLY how much I like this,_ L thought dazedly.The timing of it made him want to laugh when Light let the ropes go slack and told him to ‘ _just do it_ ’, and L was _gasping_ for breath and moaning loudly around the gag, arching up into the teen, coming _so_ hard that his entire body clenched, and he could see spots along his wide open vision. 

 

Light was wide-eyed and grinning as he watched L falling apart beneath him, all the emotions and things unsaid flickering across the man’s face or felt in the twitching of muscles beneath him. He stared into L’s eyes when it was clear he couldn’t hold back anymore, drinking up the loud moan and how L’s rigid body fought against the ropes as he came. The look of sheer desperation and then ecstasy on L’s face made Light’s insides clench and he sped up his strokes, shooting all over L’s stomach and chest with a loud cry. He kept fucking backwards through it, mouth wide open with the strange and intense sensation of clenching _around_ L as he came, and the additional stimulation pushing his orgasm harder. 

 

There was a moment, when L felt Light clench around him in his _own_ ecstasy, that he wanted to laugh in wonder. He found himself biting down on the ball in his mouth, his moans not letting up as Light rode him through his orgasm, and as he stared up into Light’s eyes, he was struck anew by how much he loved the young man atop him. When Light finally slowed and stopped, L couldn’t help but smile around the gag, his own breathing just as ragged as Light’s.

 

Light was sweaty when he finally stopped moving, drops of perspiration falling from his long bangs and onto L’s chest. “Oh shit…” Heart hammering, breath still coming ragged, he brought his eyes to meet L’s and laughed in wonder. “It’s always...so fucking good with you.” His body felt limp, like he was nearly about to collapse onto L, so he slowly moved forward to let L slip out of him and fell to his side with a huff. Light smiled as he stroked L’s damp hair from his face and then went to reach for the gag’s latch. But he stopped, remembering that L had asked once to keep it on for longer after they’d had sex. “Do you want me to take this off now?” 

 

A muffled giggle left L when Light professed how ‘good’ it had been, and his gaze followed the teen as he fell to L’s side. That soft question made something twist happily inside him, and though under normal circumstances, L would have indicated ‘no’... tonight he needed to be able to communicate. With a slow nod, he waited patiently until Light had removed it, working his jaw a little before whispering fiercely, “That was… _you_ are _amazing_ , Light. I love you, _so much_.” 

 

Light couldn’t stop smiling as L started to speak, a deep satisfaction and happiness making his features glow. “I love you too.” Quieter, “I’ve never loved anything as much as I love you.” And that was it, wasn’t it? L was the most important person in his life and there was no way he could ever go back to the lonely way things were without being destroyed by it. That was both a brilliant and terrifying realization, how much he needed L in his life now. 

 

 _Never? Really?_ That little confession from Light drew a soft, happy sound from L, and he let his eyes close for a moment as the emotions overwhelmed him. _Same here._ He wanted to say that to Light, but it was difficult to get the words out through the lump in his throat. A dreamy smile split L’s face, and he snorted softly, tearing up in awe when Light stroked fingers through his hair again. “I… wasn’t... expecting _that._ How do you always manage to surprise me?” 

 

Light snorted softly, enjoying playing with the wild tangle L’s hair had become. “I surprised myself actually. I wasn’t _planning_ to do that, I just...decided I wanted to. I needed to stop being a big wuss and take a dick like a man.” 

 

L’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, and he burst out laughing. Finally, he managed to say teasingly, “You needed to take it _like a man_ , huh?” His gaze flicked to the big screen for a brief moment before he giggled. “I confess, I stopped paying attention to the video when you…” He trailed off, glancing Light over for a moment before asking softly, “Did it... meet your expectations?”

 

Light laughed quietly, pressing a kiss to L’s lips. “My expectations? Hmm. I guess I expected it to hurt like hell and to be sore the next day. It hurt a little but I _definitely_ see why you enjoy it so much….wouldn’t mind switching things up on occasion.” He kissed L on the nose, giggling. “Especially seeing how much you seemed to enjoy it. That was the best part, for me.” He couldn’t really truthfully say that he didn’t prefer their _other_ ways of having sex, but Light had been pleasantly surprised; it had been enjoyable. 

 

L kissed Light back, smiling slowly when the teen pulled away. His general state of happy satisfaction made way to a sleepiness that surprised him; he normally wasn’t _this_ tired after only round two. _Well… I guess that was three for me._ Still, his smile widened at hearing that Light was open to trying it again at some point. “You know... _I_ don’t think you were being a wuss.” Pausing, L giggled, continuing happily, “And I’m _always_ happy to take whichever role you prefer, so whenever you feel like switching it up, just let me know.”

 

Light pushed up on his elbow, reaching for the TV remote to stop the video. “As much as I’d like to break your, ah, record, I think I’ve completely exhausted myself. Looks like it’ll just be three tonight.” He pushed all the toys off the bed, gazing down at his lover as he traced the ropes with his fingertips before starting to undo the bindings. 

 

L’s gaze flickered towards the TV screen as Light turned it off, and then back to Light’s face. He was honestly a little relieved that Light didn’t want to try and break any ‘records’ tonight. “It’s okay, we have lots of time to try and break it,” he murmured, trying to stifle his yawn. 

 

“I hope you don’t mind if I untie you now.” Light wasn’t going to stay awake much longer and wanted to make sure he had all his wits about him to undo all the knots properly. 

 

L only nodded to Light’s query, and as it turned out, his sleepiness meant that he had no problems staying relaxed while Light undid the ropes.

 

Once L was completely free, Light laid down and snuggled into his side, looking up to give L a long and tender kiss. “Thank you for everything tonight.” 

 

Stretching out after so long tied in the same position, L let out a low, satisfied groan, happy when he felt Light snuggle into him, practically _melting_ into that kiss. “Mmm…” Lips curling up into a tiny smile, L closed his eyes and wrapped his arms snug around Light, relishing the way the teen cuddled into him as he whispered, “I don’t know what it was in particular _I_ did, but you’re welcome, Light. And thank _you_ , for always making me so happy.” _I’m going to miss you tomorrow when you have to go to school,_ he thought with a sigh, dropping a kiss to Light’s hair. An idle thought went through him that he’d forgotten to text Aiber, but he was far too comfortable and sleepy to get up and give the man his instructions _now_. _I’ll text him later._

  
Light laid his head on L’s chest, pulling the covers up and not minding at all that they were messy. _I’m too tired to do a damn thing about it._ He closed his eyes, smiling to himself and wondering how he was going to hide the likely limp and perma-smile he was apt to have on his face tomorrow at school.


	47. Solving For X

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aiber travels to LA to break Beyond Birthday out of prison, and only has 30 minutes to convince him to go along with it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YAY IT’S B!

\--- outside of a hotel in LA, roughly 10:30 am Monday morning ---

 

Aiber started up the rental car and pulled up his mobile GPS for directions to the prison, idly musing over the last thirty minutes again. He had actually been _extremely_ surprised that he hadn’t received any messages from L last night, not after the message to ‘stand by’. Not while he’d been on the plane, not after he’d already gotten checked into a hotel near LAX, and not while he had been passed out. That was highly unusual, usually L was much more on top of things than that. But between that, and the fact that _Aiber_ had actually been the one to message _L_ for his instructions (not to mention that he had _clearly_ woken L up, if that semi-coherent first message L had sent was any indication), he was pretty sure the young detective had been… _otherwise occupied_ , all evening.

 

“Probably getting some,” he murmured out loud, grinning, making sure to sync his phone’s music player to the car radio and putting on his favorite driving playlist before pulling out into the absolute _nightmare_ that was LA traffic. Checking his map, he saw that he had five minutes of slow going before he’d be able to zip through all the side roads that had minimal traffic, and he huffed out an annoyed breath, tossing his hair out of his eyes and donning a pair of mirrored sunglasses when he came to a stop in the traffic. “So, it’s to be not just _any_ fake death, but a fake _heart attack_.”

 

Aiber drummed his fingers against the steering wheel in time to the hip hop beat. A laugh left him as he crept forward, musing out loud, “I’m supposed to convince this random prisoner to fake a heart attack in his cell, _and_ forge a fake death certificate, _and_ get him out of there alive and intact, without the warden or any of the guards discovering the ruse.” Shaking his head, he took another glance at the map. “L, man, you’re lucky I trust you, or I might be worried about you joining up with Kira,” he murmured, spotting an opening in traffic and zooming in to claim it. He laughed again, glancing at his phone in amusement. He could just _see_ Wedy’s face when he told her that her theory about Light being Kira was all but outright confirmed.

 

Aiber fell silent as he creeped through traffic, only idly listening to his music as a solid plan began to form in his mind; L had conveniently left the details up to him, which was surprising, but at the same time, he couldn’t help but be pleased that the young detective was extending such a blatant show of trust. 

 

Finally, Aiber was out of the snarl, and he made good time to the prison after a couple (rather necessary) stops, parking and walking in through the front door. The clerk at the desk sat up straighter, looking surprised to see anyone but another staff member walking in. “Hello there,” he said, casually leaning down against the desk and grinning. “I need to see Warden Espinosa right away.”

 

“W-who should I say is asking?” the young man asked, eyes round in shock that a seeming civilian, especially one dressed so flashily, would know the warden by name.

 

The look Aiber gave the young man was nothing short of glacial, and the young clerk gulped and picked up the phone. “I’m not asking, I’m insisting. But if you absolutely _must_ give him something, tell him I need to see Beyond Birthday at his earliest convenience.” Aiber straightened up, pulling his phone out of his pocket, and pausing before smirking at the young man. “Oh, and ask him if he’s solved that crossword yet.” Those had been the ‘clearance’ phrases L had told him to say. It was too bad he had NO freaking clue what it meant.

 

\---

 

Two and a half years was a long time to read the same damn manga, but Beyond Birthday didn’t have anything else to read but the tattered, not-even-very-action-packed Sailor Moon the prison library had let him check out. In theory, he could have exchanged it for something else, but it was literally the _only_ manga in the library and he wasn’t letting it fall into the grubby hands of the other inmates to rip to shreds. He’d committed the entire series to memory long ago when he’d had freedom, so it was a rather simple exercise to extrapolate backwards or forwards around this particular episode. Lately, he’d taken more to just making up new stories in his mind to pass the time.

 

Time was all he had anymore. Hated, detested time, which strung him out in this pit of boredom when by all rights he should be six feet under, flesh falling away like soggy old paper and food for ungrateful worms. 

 

He was food for another kind of worm here. The warden had the good sense early on to separate him from general prison population-- _nothing to do with that hilarious ear biting episode NO_ \-- but that didn’t keep the guards away, they had read his file that he was a child murderer, a disgusting mutilator. His general demeanor and behavior, his surly or vacant attitude and odd mannerisms did him no favors here. The prison doctors were no help; the only thing that had come from his ‘psychotherapy’ sessions--- _more like talk and torture--_ was that anything that could be used to off himself should be removed from his cell. _Fucking killjoys._ So, he got no sheets on his bed, no belts, no string or shoelaces. Everything was soft and white and rounded, so very fucking _safe_ in this place it was enough to drive someone insane.

 

Truthfully, Beyond had already done a _fine_ job of convincing everyone he was mad as a hatter, because when you were trashed into that basket, people stopped trying. He was _so_ ready for them to stop trying, and each day he would watch for the slip-up in their routine that would finally let him wrap up the sad saga of his certainly-not-action-packed life here. It hadn’t happened yet, so for all he knew maybe he _would_ become a blithering idiot. Beyond hoped he’d at least be a very inconvenient blithering idiot, needing sponge baths and adult diapers and spoon-feeding. 

 

He cackled at that thought as he turned a dog-eared page, but his giggling was short-lived as he heard the door to his cell opening, noticing with a bored side-eye that it was his LEAST favorite guard, Duke, who was holding a taser stick and handcuffs. _You prick, I still have bruises from yesterday from you._ Creative murderous thoughts flooded his mind now, imagining the tables were turned for only a moment and HE had that taser. A moment would be all it took.

 

With saccharine sarcasm, “Well, after all this time looks like you finally got a visitor, creep.” Duke walked closer when Beyond only stared harder at his book, not looking up. “Get the fuck up and against the wall, or…” He poked him with the stick as a warning. 

 

Beyond only licked a finger dramatically and turned the page as if Duke wasn’t there, heaving a loud sigh. But of course, he _was_ listening because absolutely no one had ever come to visit _him_ , even though he’d dreamed every damn day that maybe L would. _Stupid stupid thoughts. He doesn’t even know you exist. Too late now anyway._ Since it wasn’t L, which of course it wasn’t, there was no one Beyond wanted to see.

 

“Come on!” Duke poked him again, knocking the manga from Beyond’s hands, which balled into fists on the bed. “Warden’s orders!”

 

Beyond’s whole being seemed to compress and then expand, and he slowly looked up at Duke with a violent rage in his eyes but a placid smile on his face. Slowly, deliberately, “Not until I finish my book.” He kept his eyes on Duke but picked up the manga, only to have it knocked away again. Beyond jumped up from the bed but doubled-over immediately when he felt the taser discharge into his belly, laughing loudly as his knees buckled-- that was silenced when Duke’s nightstick came down over the back of his head.

 

\------

 

Beyond blinked as he finally came to in a brightly-lit room, squinting as the fluorescent bulbs flickered. “Oww…..” He was seated at a table, his hands individually cuffed to two metal rings on the table’s surface. Vaguely, he heard Duke mumble something to his ‘visitor’ about what a nasty troublemaker he was and that if Beyond misbehaved, to either use the taser on the table or ring for the guards and they’d take care of it.

 

Aiber’s engagement with the guard was casually polite as he studied the young man slowly coming to across from him. _This_ was the prisoner he was supposed to smuggle out? Beyond looked like he’d been thrown down the stairs, or something, and it was obvious that he’d been forcibly knocked out to get him into the room. And he was _far_ too thin even with the awful prison food Aiber was certain they served here. _L was right, it looks like they ARE mistreating him. What are they doing to this guy, and why is he so important that I need to convince him to fake his death?_  

 

Duke’s comment about letting the guards ‘take care of’ Beyond sounded entirely too eager for Aiber’s liking, and he switched his cool gaze to the man for a moment, lips pressed into a thin line. He said flatly, “I’m _certain_ that won’t be necessary. You can go.”

 

Duke snorted once at Beyond before turning to leave, announcing they had 30 minutes. Beyond hissed at Duke as the guard walked out the door, hateful eyes following the man until the heavy metal door slid shut with a clang and locked.

 

The 30 minute time limit was a nuisance, but Aiber was certain he could manage to get through to Beyond in that time. As per L’s (rather sparse) instructions, he had managed to get Warden Espinosa to agree to turn off any camera or recording device that might have been in the room, and the sweep he had done while waiting for Duke to bring Beyond in had confirmed that there were no active devices anywhere in the immediate vicinity. _Convenient that they think I’m L, then, or this would probably not have been possible._

 

He waited for Beyond to rouse himself a little more, hands folded on the table top, and then finally spoke to him. “Beyond Birthday. I won’t bore you with niceties or unnecessary details just yet, since we don’t have terribly much time, and I doubt you want to be coddled.”

 

Beyond’s gaze slowly slide across the table to size up the man come to talk to him, his facial features falling into a neutral, blank slate that could quickly become animosity again. He listened intently to the practiced English that hid a subtle but lilting French accent while studying the blonde-haired man’s hands. _Smooth and uncalloused, not likely to be a thug here to beat me. Hasn’t touched the taser on the table. Yet. Manicured nails, filed evenly. Not a brute._

 

“L sent me. I’m to take you out of here, if that is your wish. How would you like to go to Japan?” The question brought a grin to Aiber’s lips, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes as he caught sight of Beyond’s odd eyes. There was something strangely intense in the young man’s gaze that made him uneasy. _What has this guy done to land him here? L, I should have asked who he IS._ “You can speak freely, this conversation isn’t being recorded.”

 

Beyond’s gaze flicked up in surprise at the mention of L, and he immediately became agitated, fingers splaying out in the cuffs as he looked up at the ceiling and hummed low in his throat. His voice was soft when he spoke, keeping his eyes averted, “He says L’s sent him, so he must lie. A terrible lie meant to trick us. But we don’t believe him, because L doesn’t care.” 

 

 _Holy shit, that’s unnerving_ , Aiber thought to himself, the grin freezing on his face when Beyond started talking to himself. He hadn’t been expecting the young man to start talking like Gollum, and he wasn’t sure what to make of it. Was Beyond messing with him, or was this some sort of fear or stress response to being dragged from his cell? _And is this what I could have had to look forward to if L had sent me to prison instead of brought me in?_

 

A pang of sympathy for the young man went through him as he let Beyond get his thoughts out of his system... mainly because he wasn’t really sure yet how to respond to this, and maybe Beyond would give him something he could use to sweeten the deal when he got him out. He was a professional con man, it was literally his job.

 

Beyond broke into unintelligible mumbling, smiling as he cracked his neck loudly, first one side then the other. “We do want to go to Japan, many many manga in Japan. But is it to be executed? Maybe L really did send him and... L wants to kill us himself?” His eyes met Aiber’s again, the plastic smile still plastered on his face to hide how terrified he was. “That’s fine. we’re ready to die.” _No, maybe it’s only to hand you back to Wammy. It might not be a quick death._ Beyond’s bright blue eyes went wide and his smile dropped, “Nooooo, no no no. We’re NOT going back to...” 

 

Getting a hold of himself, Beyond took a deep breath, closing his eyes to school his features back to perfect normalcy with intense concentration and effort. His hands balled and gradually relaxed flat on the table, his shoulders slumping forward. Opening his eyes again, “L sent you? Prove it. I want to talk to L, and hear it from the bastard’s mouth himself what he wants from Beyond Birthday.”

 

Blinking when Beyond demanded ‘proof’, Aiber smiled slightly, and debated on whether or not to call L like the young man had demanded. _No, L said this might happen._ “I’m sorry, Beyond… may I call you Beyond? Or would you prefer something else? I’m certain you’d prefer anything but B.”

 

Beyond shivered violently in response to the use of his alphabetical, dehumanizing moniker that he’d been so _graciously_ bestowed at Wammy’s House. It was an icepick to his ears, making his jaw set as he gazed up above the blonde man’s head. “Appelle moi comme tu veux, Thierry. [Call me whatever you want, Thierry.]” He smiled sweetly, taking a moment to read the floating red numerals and do some mental calculations. _He has some time yet. Won’t be an old man though._

 

Behind the smiles as fake as his own, he could tell he was unnerving Monsieur Morello, but he was used to that, immune to feeling anything from that. He hadn’t been trained under the same educational program as L not to deduce such things from minor mannerisms and reactions. _That throbbing at his temple, the pinning of his eyes, and he’s sweating, I can smell it._ In a way, all that made Beyond feel somewhat at ease. At least then he knew what to expect, same as what he’d always gotten. _Yes, I’m different from you, so what…..._

 

That visceral reaction from the young man said all he needed to know, and Aiber nodded to himself, his veneer of easy confidence falling away at the use of his real name. _How does he know that name?! I didn’t even give him my alias._ For a moment, he had a hard time controlling his uneasy reaction, but he managed it, thinking ruefully to himself, _Maybe I shouldn’t have brought up that moniker, I didn’t realize he would be so upset._ He would apologize later, once they were out of here, but for now, time was of the essence, and the less time spent in this room, the better.

 

“Yes, I thought so. L is tied up with a case right now, otherwise he would be here himself. But he told me you might need some convincing.” 

 

“What?!” Beyond outright laughed at the suggestion that L needed _him_ to cooperate with some scheme, pausing with a disbelieving look on his face before more loud peals of laughter filled the room. “Surely you must be joking my dear sir, because I am the absolute _last_ person that L would ever ask for help. Or perhaps someone is playing an awful trick on us both.” 

 

“May I?” Aiber reached slowly for his coat pocket, not wanting to startle the agitated young man, and pulled out his phone, pulling up the picture L had sent of another young man, with a melancholy expression and deep brown eyes, hands shoved into the pockets of the dark jeans he wore and light hair flopping into his face. _No explanation of who this is, just said Beyond would know him._ Before he showed the photo, Aiber made a show of hesitating, and looked up. 

 

Beyond grinned and shook his head, and was about to call for the guard to come back when he caught an idle glance at the picture that was displayed on Morello’s phone. The sardonic grin fell away and a deeply-pained grimace took its place, his whole face contorting in a desperate effort not to lose control. _Don’t cry, don’t don’t don’t._ His handcuffed hand instinctively reached for the picture but was held back by the length of the chain, dropping uselessly to the table with a soft thud. _Alexei…_

 

His voice was different now, higher pitched and strange, as if composed of harmonies, “So...he did send you.” _Only L or Watari would have that picture; no one else. Our pictures were among the most closely guarded pieces of information._

 

Seeing Beyond’s facade crumble made Aiber pause, and he continued in a slower voice now. “Yes. He… _did_ ask me to tell you that getting out of here will require some cooperation on your part… but to reassure you that you will be in L’s sole custody. No one else will have any access to you, not even myself after I turn you over to him, unless they have been heavily vetted and deemed trustworthy by L himself. Is that a tolerable arrangement?”

 

Beyond raised his pale eyes to Morello’s, his brow furrowing as he began to actually process the man’s prior statements as if they were spoken in good faith. Seriously, “Why does L want me? Why can’t he just transfer custody through the conventional way via the warden?” He now believed that this person was indeed an agent of L, but it raised alarm bells that instead of talk of transferring...this sounded more like a prison break. That could mean that L had bad intentions for Beyond, possibly worse than his current situation. He knew full well that L would skirt the law when it suited him, and that he was childish and petty and vindictive. 

 

 _I need to hold that picture._ Beyond reached for Morello’s phone again, “Please…”

 

Beyond’s reactions to his words and to seeing the picture on Aiber’s phone were like night and day, and a wave of sympathy washed over him as the young man nearly lost control. The change in his voice and demeanor was unsettling, but Aiber recognized that it meant his words were beginning to sink in now. L hadn’t explained _everything_ that was going on, but he had said enough this morning during their chat that Aiber could read between the lines and extrapolate that _Watari_ , of all people, had something against this young man and wanted him eliminated. 

 

“I take it this young man was someone you cared for deeply,” Aiber said softly, gaze dropping to the picture, giving him a moment to compose himself before lifting his eyes to meet Beyond’s gaze again. Looking at him, Aiber couldn’t be sure exactly what the right move was here, but Beyond’s plaintive little ‘ _please_ ’ as he reached for the phone tugged at his heartstrings enough that he finally went against his better judgement and slid the phone across the table just enough so the young man could reach it with one finger, enough to touch the picture or pull the phone a little closer, but hopefully not close enough to potentially smash it.

 

Beyond didn’t bother answering Morello’s obvious question, and he didn’t want the man’s pity. _Just your phone._ He strained against the chain, extending his gangly index finger out as far as it would go to slide the phone closer. He snatched it up right away, staring intently at that familiar but nearly forgotten face, a photo taken outside of Wammy’s during happier times. Still, it was crushing to look at the ghost of the smile on Alexei’s face which now had no lifespan hovering above it. He visibly deflated, hunched down to curl over the phone and hide his face from Morello before flicking the phone back across the table. 

 

Watching Beyond’s face as the young man visibly deflated was painful, and Aiber took his phone back in silence, slipping it back into his pocket and waiting patiently for Beyond to say something. He considered Beyond, and L’s words. _‘I’m procuring his potential freedom in exchange for information, and his potential help in a scheme going forward. The extraction will require a faked heart attack caught on camera because Beyond’s death has been... contracted, and I can’t have him actually dying on me.’_ That implied to Aiber that L felt guilty for something. _Maybe L knew this young man personally?_ L definitely had seemed reluctant to share that photo, which only meant bad memories. _Someone from Wammy’s?_

 

Aiber sighed. This meant that he needed to go with what _felt_ right. He didn’t have the same level of deductive skills as L and didn’t have the time to go over everything with a fine tooth comb, and besides… Beyond would probably prefer the blunt truth to pretty lies. _Those_ would be more useful with the Warden, and with forging the death certificate.

 

Folding his hands in front of him, Aiber said matter-of-factly, “L told me not an hour ago that someone close to him wants you dead. He sent me to extract you _before_ this development arose, because he needs information. He told me your potential freedom is up for grabs, and said I had carte blanche to throw in something to sweeten the deal if need be.” Actually, L _hadn’t_ said that last bit, but he could pony up for _whatever_ manga Beyond wanted, at the _very_ least, once they reached Japan. 

 

Leaning forward, Aiber said in a very quiet voice, “I’ll be frank. You don’t look so good, and from what Duke said, he would love nothing more than to continue to abuse you for the rest of your days on this earth. L is offering you your freedom, or at least a cell far more comfortable and safe than this place. If you want out of here alive, all you have to do is fake a heart attack when you get back to your cell.” He had caught a glimpse of the security cameras in Espinosa’s office before he’d been lead to this room, and Espinosa had cameras in every single cell. “I will take care of the rest.” _Including making sure you survive this._ “But… _anything_ is better than _here_.” 

 

There was a moment of strung-out silence before Beyond finally spoke, “So let’s say I believe you.” _70% chance he’s telling the truth after that._ He was willing to risk everything for even the slimmest chance of freedom, so really the odds didn’t even matter. Plus, like Morello so bluntly stated, anything was better than the daily torture he got here, and at least this would be different, novel, new. The boring monotony of this place was half of its non-appeal. _What’s the worst that could happen? I die? I’ve been waiting for that for years._

 

Raising his gaze to meet Morello’s, “Let’s say I agree.” He let out a long sigh, looking up at the cameras and assuming that if it were L, they along with the recording devices would be off. “Faking a heart attack isn’t just falling down and shitting yourself.” He grinned slyly and tapped his head, “Sure, the docs that end up working here are the bottom of the barrel and riddled with more malpractice suits than the warden has zits, but still gonna take more than _that_ to fool them.”

 

Aiber didn’t look away when the pale inmate raised his eyes, only listened as Beyond spoke his thoughts aloud, a small smile flitting across his lips at the demeaning comment about the warden. _That wouldn’t surprise me one bit, the overbearing asshole._  

 

Beyond leaned forward on his elbows, interlacing his fingers as he tilted his head quizzically. “But since _L_ sent you, I’m sure he’d have thought up a delicious scheme that likely requires some humiliating and painful display of my part, no?” The congenial, earnest look on his face fell in an instant as he whispered with purposeful malice, “If you’re lying, or if L is, my fucking ghost will come back to haunt you both to insanity.” Brightening again with a wide and cheerful grin, “So! What do you need me to do?”

 

Aiber’s smile flickered only slightly at the threat of haunting, then returned full force. _Okay, I like this guy._ “Well, _hell_ , if something goes wrong, you have my permission to come back and haunt me. But funny you should say that, because I do _actually_ have a plan to run by you. How much do you know about tetrodotoxin, and how much have you heard about the Kira phenomenon?”

 

\--- an hour later, on the plane back to Tokyo ---

 

Aiber exhaled slowly and steadily as the plane took off, finally grinning and relaxing fully as he settled down with a glass of wine. “Well. _That_ could have gone much worse. How does it feel to be out of that shit hole, Beyond?” He eyed the young man, smirking slightly at the clothes Beyond had chosen to change into; he’d had to guesstimate his size, but given him a few different options to choose from in the short time limit he’d given himself to shop. _If raiding the $5 bin in the nearest thrift store could be considered shopping._ “And wearing _real_ clothes again?” 

 

“Dunno. Can’t feel all that much.” Beyond smiled groggily at the three Aibers circling his vision, giggling before slapping his own face hard. “OW!!” He jolted upright, the green neon mesh shirt he’d chosen snagging on the airplane armrest since he was half-twisted between his seat and the one in front of him.

 

“By the way, help yourself to anything in the bar fridge, I’m sure L has _something_ edible and not just his sugary mess of sweets he takes everywhere.” Aiber had availed himself of some of the fancy lunch meats in there on the way over, as well as sampling the assortment of ready-made sandwiches and a couple trays of fruits, vegetables, and other finger foods… and of course, the cupboard under the bar had salty snacks, and a healthy assortment of both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. “I’ll call L to update him once you’ve gotten something to eat.”

 

Beyond perked up immediately. “Food you say?” That sounded tempting, anything had to be better than the rancid salisbury steak and powdered mashed potatoes he was used to. He uncurled himself from the awkward upside-down lounging and stumbled towards the wood-paneled mini fridge, bracing himself against the seats as he made his way to the little kitchen. He ripped the neostigmine patch off his belly and flicked it into the trash, not that he wasn’t grateful for the thing that had saved his life.

 

He swiveled around in the aisle, slurring at Aiber while waggling a finger, “That was...pretty slick...reversing the tetrodotoxin with neostigmine.” 

 

“Why thank you, I thought it was pretty good, myself,” Aiber said with a laugh, watching Beyond carefully, just in case he was still overly woozy, ready to assist if need be - but Beyond seemed… as fine as could be, under the circumstances. 

 

Beyond giggled as he turned back to the fridge, flinging it open and crouching down to dig through the contents as he muttered to himself, laughing intermittently.“Yes...leave it to L to pick something that hit the sodium channels...oh, not like those are important for anything, hmm? No, nothing that Beyond Birthday needs, not a beating heart, much too good for him.” He reached in and grabbed some sliced fruit in a plastic contained, chucking it behind him, and doing the same to a few more items until.. “Aha!!!” There was a large tub of rocky road ice cream in the freezer compartment. “Some things never change.” He grabbed that, a box of cherry cordials, and a jar of strawberry jam before lurching back down the aisle to his seat. 

 

Aiber’s eyebrows rose as he watched the young man pick over the food, throwing containers aside, and he found his eyes widening at seeing the haul. _Oh god, not him too,_ he thought to himself, stifling a laugh at the… _sugary mess of sweets_ that Beyond settled down with. 

 

Beyond was nearly giddy with anticipation as he popped the top from the ice cream, dumped the jar of jam inside, and topped the whole mess with the box of cordials. “Oh god, this is going to be so--” He broke off into a loud gasp as he noticed a glop of jam had fallen onto his leopard-print pants, carefully wiping it up on his finger and bringing the jam to his lips. His eyes rolled back into his head at the exquisite, long-missed taste, “Mmmmmm.” 

 

“Where did you put that patch? I might have a heart attack just _looking_ at that,” Aiber said teasingly, bringing his wine glass up to his mouth as he shook his head. Well, at least Beyond was happy, and it was only slightly weirder than L’s eating habits-- _though L seems to be getting a lot more MEAT in his diet lately,_ Aiber thought, snickering to himself.

 

Casting a look at Aiber, Beyond brought a huge spoonful of his ‘dinner’ to his mouth and devoured it. Mouth half-full, “Mkay, so spill it Blondie. What does L intend to do with me?”

 

Pulling up his phone, Aiber opened Wire and looked back through the messages he’d exchanged with L that morning, asking idly, “What would you like to know? Because I really only have the information that he gave me this morning, and what my associate under him has told me about what _she’s_ doing for him.” Glancing over at Beyond, he added, “And that is setting up the security for a safe room for you.” A quick smile, “Should I let her know that you like your sweets almost as much as L does?” 

 

His smile faded to something a little less overt now, as he said seriously, “Your presence in Japan needs to be kept secret for now, unfortunately, and L really only told me that he needed information. He didn’t tell me _what_ information, though from what I could figure out reading between the lines, I’m guessing it’s something relating to… something that Watari has done or is doing, since he’s trying to keep you secret from the old man.” 

 

Beyond’s hand continued to shovel jammy ice cream into his face as Aiber spoke, but it started to tremble at the mention of Watari, stilling in front of his lips before he rested it in the ice cream tub. _I knew it was him, knew he would be the one to want to kill me._ He pulled his legs up in the seat and looked out the window, pushing down the feelings of nausea that he was travelling closer by the minute to Quillsh Wammy. Hugging his thin legs, he rocked back and forth on the seat and hummed to himself. _Don’t ask to see that picture again, no good will come of it, come of it, come of it….._

 

Hesitating, Aiber considered everything. Should he tell Beyond the rest? It wasn’t much, but it was more than he’d told him before. “And apparently L has some scheme he’s putting together he said he might want your help with, if you’re willing, but that’s not something I can give you any information on, either.” Taking another sip of wine, Aiber clicked into his contacts, finger hovering over L’s contact information. “Honestly, I’m afraid if you want anything a little more substantial, you may need to talk to the man himself. Would you rather I call him now?”

 

Beyond turned to look out the window, leaving only silence as that question hung in the air between them. The clouds were beautiful, looking down, so surreal being here without handcuffs or guards. He’d forgotten what freedom felt like, and would be loathe to give it up again without a good reason or the promise of its return. _I’m out now. I could make a run for it when we land, I could..._ Beyond stopped that train of thought abruptly, thinking back on something Morello had asked. ‘ _What do you know of the Kira phenomenon?’_ A chill went through him because he’d seen many a murderer fall at Kira’s hands during his time inside--in fact, had been amazed he’d been spared, given his crimes and the notoriety of his case. 

 

It took until well after he’d finished speaking for Aiber to realize that Beyond was shaking, preoccupied as he had been, and he fell silent now, just watching the young man instead. _Any mention of ‘B’ or ‘Watari’ makes him upset. What did you do to him, old man?_ Frowning, Aiber thought back to the way Watari had interrogated him on his return Wednesday night. Watari had been _very_ interested in L’s whereabouts, and who the detective had been meeting to make such a _mess_ in the backseat, interested enough so that Aiber had been very uncomfortable relating anything more than the barest of details about it. Truth be told, he felt rather protective over the young detective, because he knew very well that _Watari_ would have put Aiber in prison if he’d had his own way. 

 

Aiber might not have been as intelligent as L was, but he was _far_ more adept at picking up social cues than the awkward detective, and he knew that Watari pretty much only _tolerated_ him and Wedy, only appreciated their skill sets and highly disapproved of how they had chosen to _use_ said skill sets in the past. No, if the way Watari treated _him_ was any indication, maybe Beyond had been treated much the same way by the old man, since they most definitely knew each other.

 

Without turning from the window, Beyond said, “Question one.” He held up a finger. “Is Watari the one that wants me dead?” The words fell from his mouth like spat dust, because of _course_ it was him. Still, Beyond needed to hear it. _Means he’s afraid, but why now?_

 

Another finger was added to the first, “Question two. Is L Kira or working with Kira, or merely using that tactic to extricate me?” He dropped his hand, hugging his knees tightly. 

 

Softly, “Question three. No, correction, statement. I _do_ want to talk to L, but…” He whined low in his throat, swaying in agitation and letting his forehead fall to his knees. “...yes, yes, question, why the hell does he want to talk to me and why NOW?”

 

With a soft sigh, Aiber answered each question with his observations. _I wish I could give you more definite answers_ . “From what I was able to put together reading between the lines of what L told me, yes, it is Watari that wants you dead. To my knowledge, L is NOT Kira, but considering he said your death was ‘contracted’, and seeing as how he told me to have you make it _look_ like a Kira attack, that suggests to me that he’s working with Kira.” He cracked a humourless smile before saying, “I apologize, I don’t have any real proof for you with any of these, only my suspicions… and no answer at all for your last question. Those answers will have to come from L himself.”

 

Aiber fell silent for a moment again, remembering his conversation with Wedy, and he hesitated before nodding. _I won’t say who I suspect Kira IS, it won’t mean anything anyway._ That was something better left for L to tell, if he wished to. “What I _can_ tell you is an observation I made, and you can believe me or not, as you wish. L was very reluctant to give me that picture of your friend. And he’s never been reluctant about anything unless he feels guilty about something, which I have only seen a _very_ few times with him. Since Watari wants you dead, and L wants you alive, I’m getting the impression that you three all knew each other in some form… which means that whatever L is seemingly feeling guilty about, it probably has something to do with you.”

 

Aiber checked the time on his watch and nodded to himself. It was close to 6:30 am in Tokyo time at the moment, and he was certain both L and Light would be awake by this point. “I have to check in with L and let him know we’re on our way, anyway… would you like to speak with him yourself?”

 

“Hahh hahh…” Beyond breathed into his legs, clutching them tight, nails digging into the gaudy fabric. Hearing confirmation that Watari wanted him dead made him feel...strange, because it had been a long time coming. Ever since Roger had literally dumped him out of the car in the middle of London with only what could fit into a cardboard box, he’d known he was intensely _unwanted_. Still, that was different than being wished dead, although he’d suspected as much. Memories were flooding in, of his younger self creeping into Roger’s office at night, hacking into and reading over each of their meticulous case notes that began from the day each student had arrived, sometimes earlier. 

 

Of course, who was first on the list? _Alexei._ His friend’s report had made no sense though, what did the term, ‘second generation hybrid’ even mean? According to these notes, A was L’s successor due to his great aptitude, but they also expected A to die upon reaching adulthood. _They called him an experiment, and named me the ‘Backup.’_  That had shocked and horrified Beyond, that Wammy and Roger seemed to be just twiddling their thumbs and waiting for A to possibly die. It seemed intolerably cold and unfeeling--- did Alexei have a terminal illness? What was wrong with him? Beyond didn’t get an answer but shrewdly observed that A got no treatment either. 

 

 _And the numbers above his head, they suddenly started making sense, didn’t they? A date that was near, getting nearer._ But it wasn’t until A’s 18th birthday that the equation of how to decipher those numbers was made manifest to him. _I have a horrible, terrible ‘x,’ and can now solve for ‘x.’_

 

They’d buried him on a Monday. Beyond’s room that he’d shared with A was torched that night, the confrontation with Wammy was probably heard throughout the school. _I’LL TELL L! L WON’T STAND FOR THIS!_

 

He was dumped in London on a Tuesday, no goodbyes, just threats ringing in his ears about what would happen to people that liked to talk. And how if he ever tried to talk to L, those would be the last words he uttered.

 

He hated feeling afraid, but Beyond was terrified now. Watari would keep his promise; even planned to pre-emptively, just to silence him. _I did try to tell L, but he never got my letters. Or just never responded to them?_ But his defiant, nasty side just made Beyond want to speak to L even more now that Watari wanted so badly for him not to. He’d been waiting a long, long time to finally do just that. L’s lackey was suggesting that the detective was feeling guilty about something ( _ha! Then why leave me in prison to languish?)._ It was possible that L hadn’t known he was there until recently, but it seemed so much more likely that L had, and Beyond was just a useful tool in some way now, where he hadn’t been before.

  
_Either way, what’s ahead of me is better than what’s behind._ Beyond lifted his head from his knees and looked at Morello, nodding slowly. “Yeah, lemme talk to him.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tetrodotoxin is a potent neurotoxin found in certain fish like pufferfish (fugu) and blocks sodium channels, which can cause respiratory paralysis and mimic symptoms of a heart attack. In this fic we play a little fast and loose with the effects (and allow it to be reversed with neostigmine) but maybe B is a little more resilient than the average human ;)


	48. Skin and Ink

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beyond talks to L on the phone with mixed results, but he and Aiber seem to be getting along. Light and L process the new information about Beyond’s arrival.

Aiber watched Beyond for only a moment before looking away. Whatever memories the young man was reliving seemed to be intense and personal, and none of his _business_ . Instead, he sent L a message on Wire to see if the detective was awake yet. The eventual agreement to speak with L drew a smile from him, and he looked up when Beyond addressed him. “Okay. Let me...”

 

Making the call through the plane’s Wi-Fi was relatively easy, and Aiber put his phone on speaker as it rang, once, and twice, and-

 

“ _Aiber, hello,_ ” L’s voice split the air, sounding slightly hollow in the small cabin. A pause. “ _Am… I’m on speaker, aren’t I?_ ”

 

“Wotcher, L,” Aiber said blandly, an amused grin splitting his face when L just snorted on the line.

 

“...  _Please don’t ever say that again. I take it your mission was successful and you’re already on the plane, if you’re calling me._ ”

 

“Indeed we are,” Aiber replied, nodding to Beyond. “It was a _smashing_ success, by the way. Espinosa is an asshole, but he eventually co-operated, once I convinced him I was _you_. Gave Beyond a capsule of tetrodotoxin to induce a heart attack-”

 

“ _Wait, you did WHAT?_ ” L’s shock was apparent, and he briskly asked, “ _B IS alright, correct?_ ”

 

Aiber winced, seeing the immediate way Beyond reacted to that. “He’s fine, but you probably shouldn’t call him that any-”

 

“LAWLIET!!!” Beyond shouted in the direction of Morello’s phone as soon as he heard himself called--- _ugh don’t even think about that._ His face contorted into a glower as he threw himself to the floor of the plane and crawled across the aisle to where a shocked Morello was holding the phone, snatching it away. 

 

 _Lawliet - damn, is that his real name? Shots fired,_ Aiber thought to himself, staring at Beyond in surprise as he crawled away with his phone. From the way L was sputtering and hacking on the other end of the phone, it sounded like the detective had inhaled a large gulp of coffee the wrong way, and even though he _knew_ how much that hurt, he couldn’t help but stifle a laugh by taking a drink of his wine.

 

Beyond hissed down into it, “Do NOT call me that, got it?” Beyond knew quite a few unkind nicknames that L had been given by the kids at Wammy’s---and even some of the adults--- but held his tongue for now. He’d bite back with them if he needed to, but L probably got the message. “YOU of all people should know better than to call me that.” He giggled, but it was bitter, he was still frowning, “Why not just call me ‘Backup’ too while you’re at it?” 

 

He crawled down the aisle, away from Morello, and crouched at the end close to the little kitchen. Calmly, even friendly, as if no screaming had occurred at all, “I’ve eaten your ice cream, your cordials, and the jam. Oh, and I ate your disgusting pill too that pretty much killed me.” Snorting, “Actually, it _did_ kill me, and dear old Thierry resurrected me.” A dramatic sigh, “He’s dreamy by the way.” He smiled down the aisle and gave Morello a little wave, forgetting for a moment what he was even talking about. “Oh yeah, so um…” He bent down and licked at the sticky place on his pants where the jam had stained, “...what do you want?”

 

Beyond’s ‘friendly’ banter made Aiber laugh, though he did find himself going a little red when the young man gave him that compliment and wave. _He doesn’t actually mean that,_ he thought to himself without conviction. Actually, Beyond probably _did_ mean it on some level, even if he was clearly saying it to fluster L even more. He mouthed ‘thank you’ at Beyond, smiling back briefly as he waited to hear what L would say.

 

“ _Backup?_ ” L asked, confused, voice strained from the effort to squeeze the words out. He coughed again a few times, taking another drink of coffee before asking curiously, “What are you talking about?”

 

He stopped, listening as Beyond kept talking, throwing out non sequiturs before finally actually asking the question he’d expected. “Want with you? Or in general? There’s a huge difference.” He knew he hadn’t commented on Beyond’s use of his real name, but he didn’t really… know what to SAY there. “I’m… did… _Thierry_ , did he fill you in on anything I already said? What… how did he _resurrect_ you?” _Tetrodotoxin… if I remember my remedies correct, that would require neostigmine, correct?_ “Nothing went wrong? All of the pieces were taken care of, yeah? Aiber?”

 

Beyond’s shoulders shook in silent laughter to hear L so flustered and thrown off his guard. _Good. You flail a little now._ This was officially only his second time ever speaking with the detective directly, but he’d spent more time thinking about L than he’d ever admit. _Obsessing, really, why lie._ It was a toxic mix of admiration and loathing, of wanting to live up to the expectations of his life and despising those expectations in equal measure. Now that he’d failed and been discarded, only the negative emotions truly remained, for the institution that sucked away the dreams of children and replaced them with the purpose of being nothing more than disposable replacements. _For you._ He’s been first furious and then despondent after L had ignored all his letters and messages both before and after he was imprisoned. _Because he’s complicit, idiot._

 

But then why was L seeking him out now, protecting him from Watari’s murder wish? It made no sense.

 

“ _Obviously_ if I’m here and talking to you it worked. You can gloat over all the details of your little plan with Thierry later.” Beyond turned and curled into the side of the bulkhead, fingers shaking as he vacillated between keeping calm and hurling accusations and smashing the phone. “Just answer my question. Although it seems I wasn’t _clear_ enough.” Annoyance bled into his voice, he wasn’t in the mood for L’s obtuseness. “What the fuck do you want with ME?”

 

L heard Aiber snorting in the background at Beyond’s vicious barbs ( _Thierry_ … had the man told Beyond his real name, or had he been shocked by Beyond’s ability as well?), and he pulled the phone away to give it a flat glare, huffing out an annoyed breath. _He could just as easily have told me to fuck off, and he would be well within his rights to do so_ , he thought to himself, biting his lip and bringing the phone back up to his ear, trying to keep the snippiness out of his tone as much as he could. “ _Fine_ , I’ll ask him later. As far as what I want with you… it’s complicated, but the simplest explanation I can give is that I’ve quite recently come into some important information, and from that have realized that Watari has been…” _Lying to me my whole life. Using me and my reputation to force children into a brutal training program that puts enormous pressure on them. Stripping all of the children in his care, including myself, of their humanity and treating us all as tools to be used until we break._

 

Swallowing hard, L finally spoke again, this time in a quieter tone, “That… he’s been keeping a lot of things from me. Things that, had I been less focused on other things-” _On myself._ “- that I might have seen sooner. Regarding you. And the others. And if I’m to uncover the truth, I need to know where to start looking.” _I hate having to admit when I’m wrong._ “And it occurred to me when I had that realization that maybe LA wasn’t about you trying to _kill_ me like he said, but that you were trying to talk. I fear I’ve made some grave mistakes in putting my trust in Watari.” He paused for a moment before saying deliberately, “Obviously, you don’t have to believe me. I suspect you don’t. But I… need your help. And I hope you’ll at least think about it before we meet properly.” He sincerely hoped that Beyond _would_ think about what he said. He couldn’t apologize over the phone, it would be far too… _impersonal_ for the wrongs he had committed, either knowingly or unknowingly, against the other man. And besides, he doubted Beyond would believe him at first, anyway.

 

Beyond’s eyes slowly closed as he listened to L... _Watari was keeping things from you. Well fucking DUH._ Still, the realization could mean anything and L was being so vague. “You need my help, so now I exist, huh?” It was just like L to come poking back around now that Beyond could be of some use to him. “You were pretty happy to let me rot up until right now.” He was relishing the sounds of L’s humbled voice but was so suspicious that it could still be an act to procure this ‘help.’ Not so suspicious he’d throw this chance away, because he wasn’t going back to prison, no matter what he had to do. _Not like I can turn the plane around even if I did have second thoughts. This is a one-way road and I’ll just have to see where it leads._

 

 _‘You need my help, so now I exist.’_ Those words hit L like a punch in the gut, and his lips trembled as he bit back his reply, the silence between them dragging on uncomfortably long. He didn’t know what to say, in any case, aside from ‘ _I’m sorry_ ’, and anything he said would be taken the wrong way, he was sure. ‘ _That’s not true_ ’ was somewhat accurate, but would ring false considering how long it had taken him to see the truth. ‘ _I didn’t know_ ’ was too little, too late. Finally, he whispered, “You’re right.” _Not for the reasons you think, but you’re right._ “There are many things I should have done that I… didn’t do.” It was difficult to force the words out through the lump in his throat, but he managed it, a bitter smile on his lips. “I’m trying to rectify that.”

 

Beyond was intensely curious as to what information had fallen into L’s lap, and shocked to hear that L suddenly was starting to understand what the LABB murders had really been about. After his expulsion from Wammy’s he’d tried incessantly to get in contact with L and try to tell him what he’d seen, found out about Alexei and the other children. Staging the murders as a grand puzzle that L wouldn’t be able to resist was his last hope at getting the detective’s attention. _Becoming one of the monsters you chased was the only way I could think of to make you look at me, hear me._ The last clue, the last piece of the LABB puzzle, had been the key stuck in the lock of the door to the apartment he’d expected to die in. But it wasn’t a house key--- it was a key to a bank lock box---so conspicuously out of place shoved in the door that Beyond _knew_ L would know it was purposeful.

 

He remembered scrawling out the long summary of everything that had happened, a confession of sorts but by proxy, of what Watari and Roger had done. But nothing happened. No one ever came to visit him in prison. L never returned his letters or gave any indication that Beyond’s manifesto had been found or read. It seemed impossible that L would have missed it, so he must have just not cared or was in on it. 

 

L’s tone...Beyond was trying to make sense of the remorse in L’s voice when he began to wonder if he was really telling the truth. _Did Watari and Roger hold back my letters?! Did they get to the bank lock box first? And never tell him?_ His eyes flew open at the thought and he bent over the phone, clutching it tightly, “Did you find the key in the door of the apartment in LA?” The excited and hopeful tone in his voice sounded needy to his ears, and he hated that, but if L had discovered Wammy’s true purpose then this was what he’d waited for for so long. “Did you read _any_ of my letters, L?” 

 

L stood up and paced into the bedroom to peek in on Light, his smile softening for a moment as he saw the teen was nearing the end of his (overly involved, if you asked him) skincare regime. He ducked away before Light could see him, not wanting Light to see him upset, and instead went to pull on some jeans, taking slow, even breaths to try and center himself before he said anything else. He was just getting ready to ask Beyond… he wasn’t sure _what_ , honestly, because when the man spoke again, all of the air went out of L’s lungs.

 

 _Key? WHAT key?!_ The excitement and hope in Beyond’s voice felt like cuts across his skin, a flash of sharp painful shock before dread spilled hot over him. He couldn’t have answered even if Beyond had given him an opening to do so, and even hearing the other man squeeze out that promise didn’t help as he struggled to pull in enough air to speak. _What letters?!_

 

Beyond was becoming so agitated that he couldn’t continue this conversation, and dropped the phone to the ground to clutch at his hair. Forcing out, “I’ll think about it,” he crawled to the plane’s bathroom and locked himself inside, leaving the phone in the aisle for Morello to worry about.

 

“L? Are you still there?” Aiber asked, picking up the phone and turning it off speaker, staring at the bathroom door in concern. He could hear the sounds of labored breathing coming from the phone, eyes going wide in shock. _I know he can get anxious about things, but I’ve never heard him get this bad before._ “What were you two talking about? Keys and letters, is that some kind of code?”

 

A strangled laugh left L, and he forced himself to be quiet for a long moment, taking deep breaths until he could speak. His voice was utterly without inflection when he finally said, “I miscalculated just how _much_ Watari has been keeping from me.”

 

Aiber looked at his phone uneasily for a moment and then pulled it back to his ear, saying carefully, “Hey, kiddo, it’s not your fault you didn’t know. The old man-”

 

“Aiber,” L interrupted, voice soft. “Please don’t. I appreciate it, but…” Swallowing hard, he murmured, “Please just tell me that you took care of the important details before getting on the plane.”

 

Aiber was silent for a long moment, and sighed. “Yes. Beyond co-operated. He took the pill, wrote out a Kira letter, and I managed to get him out of the prison in time to administer the neostigmine patch to resuscitate him without Espinosa or his asshole guards being any wiser to the ruse. The paperwork is in the system, and I made sure that the camera in Beyond’s cell was on. Watari will have all the _proof_ he needs.” He fell silent for a long moment before saying softly, “I know you don’t really listen to advice usually, L, but if everything you two were saying is true, then I feel bad for this kid. He’s pretty intense… but I’m getting the feeling he’s had a pretty shit life. Maybe you can use your newfound skills at being _nice_ and extend them to him? Might go a long way to getting him to forgive and trust you, if that’s what you’re after.”

 

There was a short silence before L said in a small voice, “I’ll take it under advisement. Thank you, Aiber.”

 

The click of the phone made Aiber shake his head ( _why does he never say goodbye?)_ , and he went over to the bathroom door, knocking on it and calling quietly, “Hey… You okay in there?”

 

Beyond could hear Morello’s conversation, or at least half of it, through the thin plastic door of the bathroom he was slumped against, twirling and pulling at his hair. ‘ _It’s not your fault you didn’t know._ He gripped his hair tighter at those words, feeling like an idiot for ever thinking he could have bypassed Watari no matter what he did. _I was ready to die just for that chance, almost did._ In the end it was meaningless, L clearly had no idea what he was talking about and every letter he’d cried and sweated over was probably burned up like he’d been, like his potential had been. 

 

He frowned and his face reddened as he heard himself be discussed like a mad dog that had been kicked too many times. It wounded his pride even if what Morello said was true. _Yes, my life has been shit. Boofuckinghoo for me._ Alexei hadn’t even had a life, and there was a long list of other ‘recruited’ orphans who hadn’t either. _Runaways, suicides, criminals, some moved into mental facilities._ What would L think when the true laundry list of his unfortunate successors was made clear? Would L turn on _him_ , shoot the messenger? Writing it in a letter at least had the benefits of distance from the actual uttering of it all. Would Beyond even be able to speak of it?

 

_I have to try. For Alexei’s memory and all the other kids that were destroyed. Too late for me, but that house of horrors has to end._

 

Beyond had promised to think things over and he had hours to do it, to try and collect his thoughts and arrange them sanely. It took so much out of him and even being around people, speaking to people after being in solitary confinement was exhausting. The tiny confines of the bathroom would be claustrophobic to most but it comforted him. _Four fucking white walls are comforting to me._ He giggled bitterly, stopping suddenly when he heard a knock at the door and Morello’s voice. It was uncomfortable being ‘checked on,’ for Morello to act like he actually gave a shit. Beyond nodded as he chewed his nails, then realized that wasn’t audible and croaked quietly, “M’fine.” 

 

 _You’re fine?_ Aiber smiled a little bit at that, recognizing the lie for what it was. He wouldn’t say anything, because he wasn’t in the habit of pushing people to confront their feelings or anything of the sort, but perhaps he could mend fences slightly with Beyond. He still hadn’t apologized for earlier, after all.

 

Beyond lifted his foot to press the toilet’s flush bar, standing up and wiping the detested tears from his eyes before looking in the mirror. His face was patchy and red even after splashing it with cold water from the tap. He leaned against the counter, a ball of internal anxiety. But the tiny candle of hope he’d held onto all these years glowed brighter now, and soon it would shed light on so much L had to know at last.

 

He wiped his face and hands on a paper towel and left the bathroom, nearly bumping into Morello as he did. Grinning brilliantly, “Oi, did you miss me that much, handsome?” He winked as he passed the man by, crawling back into his chair and picking up the jammy mess of melted ice cream and cherry cordials, digging in with relish.

 

Aiber was startled out of his thoughts by the door opening and Beyond bumping into him, reaching out instinctively to steady the younger man with a hand on his shoulder, only to laugh in startled amusement at the flirtatious question.

 

“You’re a bit of a handful, you know that?” Aiber countered, smirking as he went to sit across from him. He watched Beyond eat for a moment, pushing aside the urge to shudder at the goopy mess, and then leaned forward to give the young man a conspiratorial smile. “Want to hear a secret?” 

 

Beyond was gazing out the window, munching away, when he was surprised to hear Morello actually trying to chat him up. He turned his head slightly to indicate he was listening, cocking his eyebrow at the mention of a secret. Snickering, “Oh do tell. I _love_ secrets.” 

 

Aiber laughed at Beyond’s reaction, and continued, “L caught me a number of years back, and I nearly went to prison, myself. Conman. Though I bet you figured that out already, with my saying the idiots at that prison thought I was L.” 

 

Beyond had hoped the intel would be something embarrassing about L that he could cackle about later, but hearing that L recruited _criminals_ into his employ was nearly as good. He’d suspected that Morello was facile with lies and disguises given the sneaky skills required to pull off the stunt they just had, but it did surprise him that L had intervened in the man’s prison sentence.

 

Not just surprised, it crushed him. _Oh...so he’s willing to do that for you but I wasn’t worth it._ None of that disappointment showed on his face, instead only smiling back without it reaching his eyes so he could hear the rest of the story. He nodded as he went back to eating, the sugar soothing how frayed he felt. _Don’t run away again._ “Conman makes sense. I pegged you as someone who was more used to talking to get the job done.” 

 

Aiber lapsed into silence, thinking, and then said quietly, “I don’t particularly like Watari much, even before listening to you and L talk. He would have put me away. My friend Wedy, too. She’s the one in charge of security for your accommodations. Used to be a thief, but now she works for L. He saved both of us. If it weren’t for that, I wouldn’t have been here to spring you.” _And Kira, though I’m sure half of the reason he saved Kira is because of their relationship._  

 

Beyond glanced at Morello’s hands, smooth and tanned and manicured. Quieter, “I get why L would have a use for people like you and your friend.” _Not much use for a flunked out Wammy’s kid turned murderer, until now I guess._ “Maybe you can teach us a thing or two about talking to people.” He remembered how Alexei had never really enjoyed his chats with L, even though he never divulged what they spoke of. He didn’t have any room to criticize the detective on that front, though.

 

Aiber paused when he realized that his little story hadn’t been overly well received, and smiled ruefully. _I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised that he’s not receptive to anything good said about L. From his perspective…_ Still, he laughed easily and said quietly, “Maybe I should. If you are interested, of course. God knows _L_ could use the help with being more personable and genuine, he hides so much of himself under arrogance and tactless facts that I’m surprised _anyone_ likes him some days.” _And it took me forever to break through that wall and finally get something real from him. I’d almost given up on him. Silly kid._ He nudged Beyond carefully with his shoe, grinning. “Are you sure you could _stand_ having me teach you a thing or two?”

 

Beyond bit his lip when Morello nudged him with his foot, curiosity and disbelief on his face. _Is he...flirting back? Well that’s a first._ Being flirty was just one of the ways Beyond deflected his real emotions or hid them, but it was nigh unprecedented that anyone actually took his flirtations as anything but creepy once they’d known him for more than 5 minutes. He smirked behind the hangnail he was nibbling, “I’m quite sure you have _lots_ to teach me, although is standing really necessary?” 

 

“Mm, well, whatever makes you most _comfortable_ ,” Aiber said with a wink. His smile faded slightly, leaning forward to briefly press a hand to Beyond’s knee. “I wasn’t trying to give you a reason to trust L earlier, that’s completely up to you. But… I thought you would like to know that things with him aren’t quite as bad as they seem.” That said, he pulled back and sighed, settling back into his seat and stretching his legs out to rest against the bottom of Beyond’s chair. 

 

Beyond snorted, shoveling a spoonful of jam into his mouth to stop himself from saying, _I’m sure it’s not for YOU, bet he didn’t keep YOU in a cell when he so valiantly saved YOU._ He felt a little nervous about what kind of ‘security’ his ‘accommodations’ required but Morello wasn’t likely to know about that or tell him if he did. _The whole point is that I don’t know._

 

 _Well, I tried._ Aiber gave the young man a wide, charming smile, determined to get a real smile out of Beyond before the end of the plane ride. “So. If you’d like to talk about anything else… tell me about your ink?” He’d been curious about it from the moment Beyond had first emerged from the bathroom in that mesh monstrosity.

 

Beyond brightened up a little at the question about his ink, he’d once been so proud of it all, before the fire had ruined a lot of it. Some of it was intact though. “Alright.” He set the empty ice cream tub aside, licking the spoon one last time before chucking it into the tub. Pulling up the mesh over his left arm, showing a highly detailed and colored picture of Big Ben on fire. “Got this in the East End, London, right after I _left_ W-wammy’s House.” The word ‘left’ sounded choked, but he merely cleared his throat as if it that was the reason. He turned and held out his forearms, showing red and black stylized designs of skulls and roses. “Got these in New Orleans, where I..uh..lived for a while.” The ink on the left arm bled into pale unmarked skin as if it had literally been erased from him. Frowning down at it he swallowed, “Used to look better.” He’d had a script ‘A’ on his left bicep but that had been lost in the fire too, and didn’t feel like mentioning it anyway.

 

“The rest are from LA.” He gave Morello a sly smile and pushed the waistband of his pants down on the left side, showing a fractal that spiralled across his hip and stomach. The design was beautiful but the fractal itself reduced to the day he’d decided he would die. It was half-ruined. _Just like my plans, so that’s fitting I guess._

 

He pulled his pants up without further comment on that one, lifting his leg and scooting the fabric up to show another preserved tattoo on his right thigh. It was a snake coiling around an Illuminati triangle with an eye in the center, and beneath that were the words ‘Liberum arbitrium est fallax imago.’ _Free will is an illusion._ He pulled up the mesh covering his chest to show the remains of a tattooed mechanical heart, inked to look like it was being torn from his chest. Laughing softly to himself, “Just had to keep going.” He pointed out another on his right side while his shirt was up, an ouroboros snake devouring its tail. “That was actually the first one I got in LA. And here was the last.” He turned around so his back was facing Aiber, pulling his shirt off completely. Across his shoulders read in gothic letters damaged but still readable, ‘Flectere si nequo superos acheronta movebo.’ _If I cannot bend the will of Heaven I’ll move Hell._ He paused a moment for Morello to see it and then turned around and put his shirt back on in silence. 

 

Aiber noticed Beyond seemed to relax, his features getting more animated as he started talking about his ink, showing it off and explaining what some of it meant. Aiber paid careful attention to each detail, from the meanings behind each piece, to the way Beyond reacted to the telling or showing. The only part that flustered Aiber was when the young man pushed his pants down slightly - not that it was a vulgar display, by any means, but it was… a very distracting display of ink and flesh, and he arched an eyebrow up at Beyond when he managed to pull his eyes away. _Definitely has a crush. Hmm. Not that you aren’t attractive, yourself, Beyond._ “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were trying to flirt with me,” Aiber said teasingly, tilting his head as he studied some of the half ruined pieces more closely. _What could do that?_

 

It hadn’t escaped Beyond’s attention how intently Morello was staring at him as he pointed out his tattoos, but that could have just been polite interest. When the older man called him out on his behavior, Beyond merely shrugged. “And if I didn’t know better, I’d think you liked it.”

 

“Well, touche,” Aiber said with a laugh, waving for Beyond to go on. That _did_ make him think, though, even as he paid attention to what Beyond was telling him. He _was_ enjoying the flirting, and was even flirting back, but maybe that was too much at the moment. _I should be careful here, why AM I doing this?_  

 

 _I should say something as to why they’re so fucked up looking._ Beyond didn’t meet Morello’s eyes as he blurted out, “I was in a fire.” He pulled his knees up, hugging them. “Um, I guess I was on fire, actually. That’s why they look like that.” _Should be scars, right? Don’t ask me why it isn’t, I dunno either._

 

“That’s some very beautiful and impressive ink you’ve got,” Aiber announced, taking in the beautiful gothic script on his back. It was almost a shame when Beyond pulled his shirt back on, but that blurted admission that the tattoos had been ruined by fire startled him. _Where are the scars?_ he thought immediately, eyebrows shooting up, wisely biting his tongue. 

 

“So you got any? Ink, I mean?” Beyond had had enough of being in the spotlight for the moment, it was a very odd feeling to have someone looking at him, paying attention to him. Not unpleasant, but odd.

 

Aiber knew he had made the right call when Beyond abruptly turned the conversation to him, and he laughed, shaking his head in amusement. “I assure you, my ink is nothing so beautiful or meaningful. I got it when I was a little younger, and I was never really interested in ascribing symbolism to my actions or possessions until the last few years.”

 

 _Still_ , he thought, _he showed me his._ Laughing again, he shrugged out of his blazer, and slung it over the back of the seat beside him. “I’m afraid you might find my work a little generic, but it is what it is,” he said, unbuttoning his shirt and pulling it open to show off the elaborately shaded, but fading ace of hearts over his left pec, tapping it. “Got that done in Vegas when I first came to the States at 23. Thought I was a real lady killer at the time.” He grinned, “Didn’t realize that I was a hit with the men, too, but I suppose it is sometimes true that you find yourself in your 20’s.” 

 

Beyond didn’t even try to hide the hungry look on his own face as the man returned the favor with flashes of flesh and ink. He’d been on the inside quite a while and here comes a gorgeous white knight saving him? Beyond was feeling slightly lovestruck, a half-drunk looking smile plastered on his face that only widened when Morello mentioned liking men. _Or maybe they just like him? Hmm, I get why._ “Ooooo, I’ve always wanted to go to Vegas!” He hung his head upside down over the airplane armrest, giggling up at Morello. “Will you take me there one day and show me how to read the cards, you naughty conman?”

 

Hearing Beyond ask to go to Vegas with him made Aiber blink, and he paused, giving Beyond a curious smile. “What, do you take me for some mere grifter? I’m hurt!” He couldn’t help but laugh at the antics of the younger man, even as a voice in the back of his head was telling him to tone it down. Tugging more buttons free, Aiber rolled his eyes at himself as he showed off the fleur-de-lis on his right shoulder, nestled among a trio of roses. “My French pride - nice catch this morning. I got that one before I left France. I do have _one_ more, probably the only elaborate one…”

 

Beyond flipped back over and beamed at the slight praise that he’d been right in his pegging of Morello as French. “Mmm, I knew it. You still roll your ‘r’s a little when you’re flustered.” He’d noticed that among native French speakers when he lived in New Orleans, but really, Wammy’s had included extensive training in languages and in how to parse accents. “It’s cute.”

 

It wasn’t until Beyond point blank said ‘It’s cute’ that Aiber realized he should probably put a stop to the flirting now. He was interested, sure, he would never deny it to himself if he felt an attraction to someone, and the attraction was definitely _there_ , but he didn’t want to take advantage of the young man... not after everything Beyond had been through, not after everything that had happened today, alone. _And not before Wedy knows_ , he thought, a small smile flickering across his face. They had something of an open relationship, free to be with other people if they wanted, or only have eyes for each other at times, but their one rule was that they talked about it first before pursuing someone else. Still, he exhaled slowly, saying softly, “Thank you.”

 

Standing up, Aiber shrugged his shirt half off, showing off the elegant French cursive, loopy but still readable; ‘L'homme est moins lui-même lorsqu'il parle seul. Donnez-lui un masque et il vous dira la vérité.’ _Oscar Wilde has it right, there, a man is more likely to speak truth when he wears a disguise._ “I actually got this one done three years ago. Perhaps it’s a little on the nose for a conman, no?” Glancing back at Beyond, he gave him a small shrug and tugged his shirt back up, doing up the buttons as he sat back down. “Perhaps I wanted to be a little philosophical after all. That quote is one I’ve always believed in, though.”

 

Beyond hummed appreciatively as Morello shrugged his shirt down, displaying the last tattoo. “Sage advice. But aren’t you giving your best conman secret away?” He grinned, “Plus, it doesn’t even seem to apply to you. Tsk tsk, no mask at all and being so very _honest_.” He pouted as Morello covered himself again and sat down. “I can only imagine what kind of things I’d hear if you wore a mask. I’ll have to remember to bring you one next time.” 

 

It took all of Aiber’s willpower not to say something flirty back to Beyond as he buttoned up his shirt, because it just came naturally to him, and _shit_ , he had not expected to hear something that would fluster him so much. _Except I’m not being completely honest right now._ “Maybe next time, yes,” he said softly, allowing another smile to spread across his lips.

 

Beyond hesitated for a moment and then climbed across Morello’s lap and into the window seat on the other side of him. He could be quite quick-moving and graceful when he wanted to be, barely even touching the man as he settled into the chair. Looking up innocently, “Hope you don’t mind. Too lonely over there.”

 

Aiber stared in shock as Beyond crawled across his lap. _Brazen. Yes, I DEFINITELY like him._ His gaze followed the young man, heart racing, as Beyond settled into the seat beside him. “I… don’t mind. Beyond, I should let you know…” Laughing softly, Aiber turned to him and nearly reached across to tug gently at a lock of hair, stopping himself before he could. He wasn’t sure how that would be taken, and didn’t want to encourage him. _At least not right now_  “I won’t deny that I find you greatly... intriguing. In many ways. But I don’t want to take advantage of you right now. You’ve been through a lot today, to say nothing of the last few years, at least, and I don’t want to add to that.” He smiled again, gently, hoping that he wasn’t destroying the rapport they had had going. “I _am_ enjoying your company and your stories. Perhaps we can leave it at that for now, and you could tell me more about what you did in New Orleans. Pick this up some other time if you find you’re still interested.” _I’m a little surprised you ARE interested._ “Or I could always tell _you_ some stories about my life as a conman. How does that sound?”

 

 _There I go again, clinging onto anyone who’s nice to me for more than one minute._ Beyond smiled wistfully as Aiber let him down nicely, “Nah I get it. Bad habit I have.” Laughing hard, “Damn, even the way you tell people to get lost is diplomatic. A mere grifter you are _not_.” He leaned against the window, watching the ocean beneath them, nothing but a long expanse of placid blue. He didn’t feel angry or even hurt, this was one thing he never much blamed people for. _I know I’m a hot mess._ After all, he was used to being rejected and never got his hopes up. It was enough just to sit beside someone and not be in handcuffs, to be trusted that much felt incredible. He sighed, “Guess I’ve forgotten how to act around people. Pfft, not that I ever was very good at _that_.”  

 

 _I suppose I should let him think that WAS a ‘get lost’ speech for now,_ Aiber thought, smiling a little wistfully _himself_ as Beyond pulled away. He was glad that the young man didn’t seem upset or hurt by it, at least, and it was good to see him taking it so _well_. “Hey, I’m not going to judge you for not knowing how to act around people. I basically make my way through life pretending to be someone else to get people to trust me.” _I’m not trying to con you, though._ “It’s a useful skill, but not one that lends itself to many _real_ interactions.”

 

“Least you didn’t punch me in the face for it.” Beyond turned and looked at Aiber, giggling and wondering if L would have kicked him for the same. _Probably_. He yawned and rubbed his eyes, suddenly feeling very exhausted. He reasoned that having a heart attack would probably knock the wind out of anyone. 

 

Snorting, Aiber leaned his head back against the seat, glancing over when Beyond giggled, his smile turning warmer when he saw Beyond yawn. _Ah. Yes, I should let him get some sleep, it’s been an exciting day, and the jet lag is going to be a bitch._ “You know… I’d like to think this is one of those rare real interactions. I wasn’t lying when I said you’re intriguing.” 

 

Beyond rummaged under the seat until he pulled out a travel pillow and a blanket, snuggling against the side of the plane and draping himself in the blanket until just his black hair stuck out. “I’m going to get some shut eye. Night, Thierry.” It was a moment more before he mumbled very quietly, “Thanks.”

 

 _You are a strange young man, Beyond Birthday._ Aiber reached over to ruffle the young man’s hair lightly, laughing under his breath as he said, “You’re welcome. Get some rest. I’ll be here when you wake up.”

 

\----meanwhile, in Tokyo---

 

L ended the call, staring down at the phone in his hands numbly, only aware of how badly his hands were shaking because he could _see_ them. _Letters. He sent me letters. Why didn’t I get any of them?_ He sank down onto the bed, drawing his knees to his chest and dropping the phone as he tried to process everything. _If Beyond sent me letters, he definitely was trying to tell me something. God, no wonder he hates me, whatever it is he knows… my inaction probably makes it seem like I know and don’t care, or that I’m actively a part of it._  

 

His gaze dropped uneasily to the phone on the bed beside him, and he remembered his idle thought from the previous weekend about getting a new phone - now that he was aware of Watari’s obfuscation of certain things, and more importantly, the mirroring program Watari had installed with his text messaging, it was more urgent than ever that he actually get off his ass and replace the damn thing. _Because if Watari is willing to go to such lengths to keep me in the dark about so much, he’s likely using a variety of different methods to control me… or at least direct me where he wants me to go. I wonder… would he have kept those letters?_ He remembered noticing a year ago that Watari always carried a small safe with him to every new location they traveled to, but had never really thought about it much. Now he _had_ to know what was in it.

 

“Light?” he finally called, his voice sounding strange to his ears for a moment. “Do you have any objection to me walking with you to the train station this morning?” _God_ , he wished that Light didn’t have to go to school today. He could really use the comfort of being close to the teen now.

 

Light had been obsessing over a little speck on his chin, leaning forward to examine it closely in the mirror. _Oh shit, don’t tell me I’m getting a zit._ He was poking and prodding and had just come to the conclusion that it was only a whisker that needed to be shaved closer ( _thank GOD)_ when he heard L calling from the bedroom. He’d been amazed that L had actually slept through the entire night, gotten a full, nearly-normal amount of sleep. _Maybe not that surprising given how much I wore him out._ He called back, “I’m almost ready!” He adjusted his school uniform and went into the bedroom, starting off, “Of course I have no objections to--” He immediately froze as he took in the look on L’s face and his body language. “--wait, what’s wrong?” He went to sit beside L on the bed, tilting his head in concern as he took L’s hand. “Did something happen?” Anxiety bubbled up inside him because if the plan with Beyond had gone badly, that could put them both in a lot of trouble. “Don’t tell me that Beyond refused to cooperate?”

 

Exhaling hard, L lifted his gaze to Light’s, grateful for the grounding touch of his hand. He swallowed hard, vision blurring slightly as he looked down, whispering, “No… he definitely co-operated. Aiber’s mission was a _smashing success_ , apparently.” He could feel his lips trembling as Beyond’s words played through his mind again, and he bit his bottom lip _hard_ as he squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, trying to steady his breathing. Finally, he forced out, “He- I spoke to him. On the phone, just now.” _That was so surreal_ . “I haven’t heard his voice since we were _twelve years old._ ” _Get to the point._ Taking in a slow, shuddering breath, L whispered, “He sent me letters. Left clues at the crime scene in LA for me. And I never got ANY of it. Had no bloody _clue_ he was trying to point me at something, and Watari had me just pissing around, twiddling my _bloody thumbs_ waiting for Naomi to solve the puzzle _for_ me so he could keep me in the dark.” A harsh laugh bubbled out of him, and he buried his face in his knees, muttering bitterly, “He’s right to hate me, I have been _blindingly_ naive.” _What am I going to do?_

 

Light’s brow furrowed as he listened to L’s explanation, and while he was immensely relieved that the plan to fake Beyond’s death was a success, it was painful to hear of L’s new revelations. He embraced L, pulling him gently closer, and stroked his hair as he replied in a calm tone, “If he’s cooperating and agreed to speak with you, I doubt it’s _you_ he hates. Even if he does at the moment, it’s because he doesn’t fully understand what’s happening. You’re both victims here. Watari was hiding things from everyone and abusing your trust.” 

 

 _I will not cry, I will not cry_ , was the mantra going through L’s head as Light pulled him into a hug, and he unfolded enough to turn into the embrace, breathing hard as he clutched at Light’s shirt. Light’s calm tone and gentle fingers in his hair were doing wonders to soothe his frayed emotions, and even though he _knew_ he was probably going to be an anxious mess throughout the day, at least right now he needed to _calm down._ L looked up at him and the ghost of a smile flickered across his lips before disappearing in a pensive expression. “I’m… hopeful that Beyond asking me about the letters was an indication that he wasn’t just dismissing my attempts to explain out of hand. That maybe he believed I might be telling the truth.”

 

Light sighed, leaning down to kiss L’s hair. He could only imagine the pain and disappointment of learning that the one person you’d trusted implicitly your whole life, who you credited with raising and saving you, wasn’t completely what you believed. “Anyway, Beyond will be here soon and you can explain everything. If he went to that much trouble to try and communicate with you, he must have some information worth listening to.” _And something Watari really doesn’t want you to know. I wonder what happened to those letters?_

 

That gentle kiss to his hair made L smile, and he finally looked up, huffing out a quiet laugh. “You’re right,” he said in a tiny voice, reaching up to stroke the tip of his finger against Light’s lips. Swallowing hard against the lump in his throat, L added, “Aiber told me to be nice to him. I know I can be a dick, but am I really that bad that people have to tell me to _be nice_?” It was a pretty weak attempt to try and distract his mind from obsessing over his failures, but if it worked, he’d take it.

 

Light felt grateful when L relaxed in his arms, and he laughed quietly at Aiber’s sage advice. “He’s probably just warning you that Beyond isn’t...well, that this is a delicate situation that we probably only get one shot at.” He refrained from thinking too deeply about what prison trauma was like, or what kind of mindset one would need to be in to set themselves on _fire_ , but Light guessed that Beyond was somewhat fragile. “I’ve seen you be kind and considerate when you want to be, so I _know_ you can do it.” He giggled, pressing a kiss to L’s cheek, “Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone.”

 

Light’s giggled words pulled a genuine laugh from L, and he let the teen kiss his cheek, giggling himself as he murmured teasingly, “You better not. My reputation will be utterly ruined if _everyone_ knows I can be _nice_.”

 

Light really wished he could stay here with L, it felt awful having to leave him here so obviously upset. But he couldn’t appear to be doing anything out of the ordinary either, which missing school would certainly be. “I hate to have to leave, but maybe it would help if Ryuk stayed with you today? He can help you keep an eye on Watari, I’m not sure if the news will have reported Beyond’s death yet or when Watari will find out. I want to make sure he’s _actually_ convinced Beyond died.” Light hugged L closely, giving him a little smile. “But I love you, and I’ll hurry back as soon as school is over ok?”

 

When Light offered to let Ryuk stay with him, L smiled and nodded gratefully. “I’d like that. I feel like we’ve been neglecting him a little, and I… actually like having him around.” Which was a far cry from where they’d started off. Blushing a little, L looked down. “I, uh, was going to ask for his help with something anyway. But we can talk about that later, let me finish getting dressed, and we can go.” He hugged Light back tightly, kissing the teen’s ear and whispering fiercely, “I love _you_. Thank you, Light.” _And I am going to miss you so much today._ Pulling back, he slid off the bed, giving Light another little smile. “I… may have another reason for wanting to go with you, too.” His gaze slid meaningfully to the phone that was sitting right beside Light. “I can’t put off my plan to get a new phone any longer, not with Beyond on his way.”

 

Light glanced at L’s phone, nodding at the suggestion of replacing it. “Not a bad idea, although I wouldn’t get rid of the old one quite yet. We don’t want to raise his suspicions that anything is different. We can use the new phone when we don’t want to be spied on, since we know that he is.” 

 

At Light’s suggestion, L sighed, asking, “Does this mean I can’t use that phone to send you naughty pictures anymore?” He grinned at Light’s expression before hastily adding, “I know not to raise his suspicions, don’t worry. I’ll use the new phone when we want to discuss our Kira plans, or anything else we want to keep private, and even then, I’ll encrypt _the shit_ out of everything so he can’t get into it even if he _does_ find out I have it.” His grin turned a little wicked. “Maybe I _should_ continue texting you naughty pictures on this phone. If I stop, that just looks like I’ve got something to hide.” _Too many people know too much about my suddenly-very-active sex life, ugh._

 

L turned away, reaching into a drawer for one of his usual white shirts, only to pause. _Fuck it, why not._ He closed the drawer and instead knelt down to open the bottom drawer, pulling out one of his old MCR t-shirts instead, straightening up as he pulled it over his head. _Might as well, I feel like it, and if Watari’s annoyed by it, he can bloody well get over it._ Turning back to Light, L shoved his hands in his pockets and nodded to the door. “Shall we?”

 

Light stood up and gathered his school bag as L finished getting dressed, grinning appreciatively at the choice of clothes. “Feel like a little change today?” A scarf was conspicuously missing from the outfit which meant L’s bruises would be in full view today. _Makes me doubly sad I won’t be there to see the reactions to that._

 

“Ehhh, I guess I’m feeling a little nostalgic for my ‘fuck you, I do what I want’ phase,” L said, ducking his head a little in response to Light’s commentary, smiling when he noticed Light’s expression. It felt nice to know Light liked the way he looked in his _own_ clothes, too. _Not the point._ He reluctantly stuffed his phone in the front pocket of his jeans, making sure he had everything else he would need for the day. _Wallet, keycard… Okay, I’m good._  

 

“When will Aiber be back, by the way? Are you going to check out the cell Wedy’s prepped before Beyond arrives?” Light hovered by the door, waiting for L to join him on the walk to the train. 

 

Moving to Light’s side, L took his hand, humming noncommittally as he thought. “Well, Aiber didn’t say how long they had been in the air, but I’m going to hazard a guess and say he called me between five minutes and maybe a half hour after takeoff, so…” He paused in the living room only long enough to grab his coat and a few apples for Ryuk, calling to the shinigami, “Heads up!” as he tossed an apple at him, stuffing the other two in his pockets. “Depending on how good the weather conditions are? And considering the length of the phone call? I’m going to say, best case scenario, they’re an hour and a half into their flight now, maybe less if Aiber called me right after taking off. So… ten hour flight, give or take a half hour, I would guess there’s an ETA of…” He paused and peered at the time on the microwave. “3:30, 4. So right around when you would normally be getting _home_ from school. You might actually be back before they get here.” Smiling at Light, L asked, “If you are, would you like me to wait until you get _back_ to check out the accommodations Wedy’s prepared? That way we can both see what we’re dealing with?”

 

“Hold on a moment, there’s something I need to quickly do before we go.” Light shook his head as he dragged L back into the bedroom, amazed at himself for forgetting to do something very important last night. _Guess I was a little distracted._

 

 _Something he forgot…?_ L followed Light curiously, and an ‘ahh’ of understanding passed his lips as he saw Light pull the Death Note out of the safe. “Oh… yeah, I guess we were too distracted to write last night, huh?” 

 

Light knelt by the safe and opened it, taking out the Death Note and ripping off a small corner piece. Pulling the trick mechanism of his watch popped open the hidden tray, and he slid the blank scrap to replace the old one they’d use a few days earlier. He looked down at it as he snapped his watch shut again, “Doesn’t hurt to have a piece on you, either. Maybe you can think of what you’d like to hide it in and we can take care of that today.” He smiled up at L, “With Misa...still out there, I don’t like the idea of you not having some kind of defense against her.” _Although Rem’s probably the only one that could kill her, it doesn’t hurt to have it._

 

L leaned over to watch what Light was doing, tilting his head in thought. “Hmm. Well, I can look around for something while I’m out getting a phone, but I’ll give you some extra money for if you want to look to see if _you_ can find something. I’m not sure how much time I’m going to realistically _have_ to piss away.” Smiling, he watched as Light began writing the details, adding, “Besides, I trust you to pick out something cool. I had a thing for leather cuffs and bracelets before, so anything like _that_ is perfect, if it meets your criteria.”

 

Before standing up, Light grabbed a pen from his backpack and quickly wrote the name of the criminal that Watari had given him yesterday. Given that Beyond would be ‘dead’ to Watari and the world, Light knew that Watari would expect he’d have written the criminal’s name too. _El Jefe’s real name…_

 

**Matias Jimenez, bitten by a rattlesnake in his boot, dies before receiving any medical attention.**

 

“Seems fitting that a snake would get a snake. Hmmm, I just hope he doesn’t squash it in his boot.” He quickly added: 

 

**The snake is unharmed.**

 

“No sense in sacrificing an innocent snake.” Light chuckled down at what he’d written before reaching to put the Death Note back in the safe, but before it left his fingers, he felt the wave of euphoria and shuddered hard. “Ah…” He let the notebook fall from his hand, not particularly needing to walk down the streets on Tokyo with a hard-on. _Fuck, too late._ Blushing, he closed the safe and stood up, adjusting himself in his khakis. “Might, um, need just a minute before we go.” He gave L a look as he went to the bathroom to splash water on his face, feeling a little more composed. 

 

Reading ' _the snake is unharmed '_  in the Death Note made L giggle, and he straightened up, going to the bedside table and picking up his toy dragon, looking over sharply when he heard Light’s little gasp. _Oh damn._ His heart rate sped up slightly at just the _sound_ , and he blew out a breath as he came back over, depositing the toy on top of the Death Note before Light could close the safe. “Um. It’s… probably a good thing I wasn’t touching you just now, or we’d both be late,” L said softly as he watched Light walk into the bathroom. He hesitated only a moment before going to grab the lube, slipping it into his coat pocket. _Just in case._ It was always better to be prepared and _not_ need something, in his opinion. 

 

Light called to L, “Feel free to send me all the dirty pictures you like on your phone, but maybe wait until later today. I’m going to be on edge enough as it is, now.” Glancing at the time, he knew he didn’t have enough to get any...satisfaction right now, so he’d just have to grin and bear it until he could be with L later.

 

Hearing Light calling to him about _dirty pictures_ made him giggle, but also did _nothing_ to keep him from thinking about all the dirty things they _couldn’t do_ right that moment. _Later. I need a distraction._ Pacing back into the living room, L grinned at Ryuk as he shoved his feet into his ratty converse, making his way back towards the door of the suite to wait for Light. “Hey Ryuk… Want to come hang out with me at HQ today and help me keep an eye on Watari? There’s an extra bottle of soda in it for you.” 

 

Going back to the door, Light gave L one last kiss on the lips. “About Beyond’s cell or whatever Wedy has prepped, I’ll leave it to your judgement. I’ll come as soon as I can---ughh, it’s going to be a long day.” He reached around and gave L’s ass a squeeze, whispering, “I’m going to pounce on you later though.” Flashes of dirty scenarios were already plaguing Light’s mind, and he’d have to find some excuse to drag L into the HQ bathroom when no one was looking. But now, school. _Damn it._

 

L couldn’t help but glance Light over when he saw him approaching, and he grinned a little to see that Light was in the same...  _Predicament_ as he was. _Ah well_. He leaned into the kiss, squirming when Light reached to grab his ass, and smacked the teen playfully. “Stop that, or I won’t let you leave this _room_ ,” he warned, taking Light’s hand again and reaching for the door. 

  
“Before we leave, I just want you to know… I’m going to miss you.” L squeezed Light’s hand and looked down. “Also, I’ll keep you updated if anything odd happens, and I’ll also let you know when the news from LA arrives.” _And if I find anything in Watari’s room, if I get a chance to snoop._


	49. Rezervă

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryuk comes through and steals Beyond’s old letters to L from Watari’s safe, but they’re in a cipher. Misa and Rem confront Light in the street.

Ryuk followed along behind L as he walked Light to the train station, rolling his yellow eyes as Light pulled the man behind a standing billboard to have one more makeout session before going inside. He people-watched for a few moments before Light’s train was announced, laughing to see the teen running for his life to try and catch it, a blush still on his face. “Pffft, there goes the God of the New World, don’t be late for math class boyo!”

 

The shinigami turned back to L, “Whelp, guess it’s just you and me now.” Ryuk was glad that he’d get to tag along to the Task Force today instead of going to school with Light; sure, he’d miss the kid but Light never paid him any attention when he was at school surrounded by friends and teachers. This was better, and L had sounded like he planned to get into some mischief today. 

 

L watched for a moment as Light dashed off to catch his train, face still flushed from the making out and smiling from ear to ear, and with the briefest grin at Ryuk, he murmured out a soft, “Mmhmm,” as he turned away. Hands shoved in his coat pockets, he paused long enough to turn his cell phone completely _off_ before heading to the electronics store, mind racing again with all the tidbits of information Beyond had let drop and the memories it had brought up.

 

Ryuk was content to float along quietly as L stopped at a high-end electronics store and purchased a new phone and a fancy tripod camera, but the detective didn’t tarry long before quickly heading back to the hotel suite where the rest of the task force was already waiting. Given it was morning rush, people were everywhere, so Ryuk didn’t expect much response to his idle chatter or questions about what they were going to do today. 

 

When L cut through a deserted alley on the way to the Park Hyatt, Ryuk scanned the alley with his shinigami eyes and said, “There’s nobody in earshot if you wanna say something before we go in. Sounded like you were going to attempt to bribe me to do somethin’, heh.” Given there were two remaining apples and a soda on the line, there was a pretty high chance he’d give in.

 

L slowed in the alleyway, glancing back at the shinigami and nodding his thanks as he stopped completely, leaning against the wall now and tossing him one of the apples. Pulling out his new phone, he added in Light’s number, typing out a quick text, “ **New phone acquired. Will update you on the situation at HQ from this number, and anything mundane will now come from the other number. I love you.** **😊** ”

 

“Okay, _so._ You’re right, I had a favor to ask.” L chewed on his bottom lip for a moment, frowning. He wasn’t sure how much he should ask of Ryuk; he didn’t ONLY want to use the shinigami for things, but there were some things he realistically couldn’t _do_ without raising suspicion. _Like check Watari’s bedroom for cameras and bugs. If there were any in there, I would be recorded looking for them, and Watari would know my trust in him is gone._  

 

“... Maybe not _quite_ a favor.” _Think. Get your shit together. What does Ryuk want out of this?_ Slowly, L muttered, “Mischief. Entertainment. Intrigue.” _So tell him what’s going on?_ “I spoke to Beyond on the phone earlier today. I don’t know how much of that conversation you might have been paying attention to, but it turns out that apparently he really _was_ trying to tell me something two years ago. He wrote me letters that I never received.” L looked up at Ryuk and said quietly, “That made me remember that Watari carries a safe to every location he and I travel to. He’s never acknowledged it, and I never asked. I think… I think it’s hidden somewhere in his room, and I think there’s a strong possibility that the letters Beyond sent are _in_ the safe. I need to get in there and find it.”

 

Swallowing hard, L admitted, “I don’t know how involved you want to be, but I need your help. I could ask you to check Watari’s room for recording devices… or I could ask you to do what you feel comfortable doing to help me out. But if his letters are in that safe, and I can read them before going to see him… Maybe telling him that I _know_ what he was trying to tell me all those years ago will convince Beyond to trust me. And maybe he will help us with Misa and Rem.”

 

“Hmmmm.” Ryuk floated on his back, folding his hands behind his head as he listened. “So whatcha want me to do is get a looksee in that safe, eh?” He turned to grin at L, “Think Bernael was spillin’ secrets on that old goat? Heh, I bet Watari was up to no good and didn’t wanna get ratted out by some brat.” 

 

 _‘Ratted out by some brat’... Oh, Watari WOULD hate that._ L snorted at that and nodded, murmuring with a muted smirk, “ _Especially_ someone like Beyond or myself.” _I’ll just use his chosen name unless he says otherwise._

 

Under normal circumstances, Ryuk would be about as interested in helping humans as he would be watching an ant farm-- a momentary distraction but no real investment. But his interest in matters pertaining to Bernael and Rem were quite different. For one, he’d already decided that HE was going to be the shinigami to break the scandal of half-shinigami children to the Realm, already picturing the huffing and puffing both Justin and the King would be doing to try and cover their hypocritical tracks. For two, he’d never forgive Rem for just standing there and letting Gelus waste his life for Misa, then giving Gelus’ Death Note to the very human who caused the shinigami’s death. _Closest thing I had to a friend, won’t ever forget you did that, Rem. Cursed Misa too, when you did it._

 

Yes, these were not normal circumstances-- Ryuk had a horse in both these races and was just as curious as L what was in that safe now. “I ‘spose if I see some letters in there, I could just _take_ and drop em in your room. Long as you tell me what they say later or I get to read them myself. I have my own curiosity to sate when it comes to Bernael.” He paused a moment, scratching his neck and thinking it was probably a stretch to assume that Watari knew about half-breeds but he’d been surprised by human ingenuity and knowledge before, and it wasn’t like nobody on Earth knew. _Bernael’s mother for one, perhaps more._ He righted himself, letting his feet touch the alley floor as he towered his full height. “And if listening to him will get him to cooperate in puttin’ an end to Rem?” He smiled ominously, “Well, I don’t even need apples for that. Not that I won’t take ‘em, hyuk hyuk.”

 

Hearing Ryuk suggest just _taking_ the letters was unexpected, and L’s head jerked up, eyes wide as he stared up the shinigami’s full height to look him right in the eyes, lips parted in shock for a moment. As Ryuk continued, his lips slowly curved up into a fierce smile, and he let out a breathy little laugh. _Holy shit._

 

“Ryuk…” Shaking his head, unable to quell the excitement in his chest, L found himself laughing again, and he pushed himself up from the wall, pocketing his cell phone as he said, “You are… That’s…” He was struck for a moment by the urge to hug the prickly shinigami, but he refrained, merely beaming up at him as he thought to himself, _This being open and honest thing… why didn’t I try this before?_ “If you can get me those letters-” _If they ARE his letters,_ “-you have my full permission to read them, and _all_ the apples in the suite. Of _course_ you get your apples. _Thank you._ ”

 

“Welcome, but don’t forget, I can’t take things from the human world without _Light’s_ permission. Just the way it works. He’s got my note and all that.” Ryuk tilted his head back in annoyance because these shinigami rules were _so_ tiresome at times, but he had to follow them whether he liked it or not. “So uh, maybe you can reach him on the phone and he can say that.” He wasn’t sure if a text would be enough-- it probably would but why take chances to not become dust?

 

“Guess then I’ll just hang around and wait for whenever Watari ain’t looking and when you slip upstairs. I’ll have to put them back so uh...take pictures or whatever.”

 

L blinked at that and then rolled his eyes at himself, already dialing Light’s phone. In his excitement, he’d forgotten all about that rule. “Ugh, that’s a stupid rule if you ask me, but I don’t want to dust you.”

 

\---around lunch time---

 

Pushing away from his desk, L announced to the room at large, “I’m hungry. What are you all doing for lunch?”

 

There was a general murmur from the other men, and Matsuda hovered in the doorway of the kitchen holding a bento box up, as if to say ‘I’m covered’.

 

Dryly, L said, “So Matsuda-san has food from home that he can save for dinner, and the rest of you were going to do what? Go out? Order room service?”

 

Aizawa shot him a look, saying borderline rudely, “Why, are you going to pay for our lunch today?” The man’s gaze lingered disdainfully on the t-shirt for a moment before he turned back to his computer.

 

“Aizawa,” Soichiro said warningly, frowning at the man, and L couldn’t help but smile to himself at that mild defence.

 

“Thank you, Yagami-san. And actually, yes, I thought it might be nice to send you all for an actual lunch break, since it’s been… slow going today.” L shrugged, ignoring the surprised looks on the faces of the other men, and the pensive frown on Watari’s face. “Watari, would you be so kind as to take them wherever they wish to go?”

 

Watari nodded slowly, frown deepening. “Will you not be going with?”

 

L opened his mouth to answer, then closed it, lips pressing into a thin line at Aizawa’s mutter of, ‘Let’s hope not.’ The others all shot him looks ranging from shock to disapproval, and L shook his head, silently thanking Aizawa for giving him an excuse to decline, much as it stung, eyes downcast as he said softly, “No, I… I think I’m just going to order something and eat here. I’ll just nip to my room and grab some of the cake pops you picked up for me yesterday, go ahead and enjoy your lunch. You can meet me back here in an hour or so.”

 

“As you wish, sir.” Watari gave him a sympathetic look as he ushered the men out of the room, and L just nodded to each of them as they left. Once the door was closed, L moved over to it, peering out of the peephole and waiting until he couldn’t hear footsteps or voices anymore. “Coast is clear, Ryuk. I’m on my way up now.”

 

Ryuk stretched at L’s words, he’d been half-asleep given how boring everything had been this morning. The most exciting thing that had happened was when Matsuda spilled coffee in L’s lap, but he’d gotten the impression that wasn’t a very appreciated thing for him to have been cackling over given the look L gave him. But finally, he got to do something!

 

“Ooooh, showtime! See ya on the other side, Lawli.” Ryuk gave L a little wave before phasing into Watari’s bedroom and using his shinigami vision to look around. _Hehhh a safe, a safe a… OHHHH A SAFE!_ He zeroed in on a panel in the wall hidden behind a modern art painting and flapped towards it, looking at the contents before reaching in. Technically, Light had only given him permission to take letters written by Bernael, so while he saw other items in there (odd electronics, pictures, file folders, disk drives, etc.), he reached for a fat stack of bundled, opened envelopes that were sitting on top. They became incorporeal in his hand and he pulled them out of the safe, trying to read through them. “Whaaa? That’s no language at all! What in the hell is this gibberish?!” 

 

Ryuk pouted a moment and nearly stuck them back in the safe, thinking they weren’t from Bernael after all, but since nothing else in the safe looked similar he decided to show them to L anyway. He phased up through the roof of the room and through floor after floor until he reached Light and L’s suite, letters in his oversized hand. L was already waiting for him in the room, and he flapped over to chuck the large bundle of letters onto the piano. “Uhh, here ya go. Found ‘em behind a painting. Good luck readin’ that though.”

 

“Huh? What do you mean?” L looked at Ryuk with wide eyes and he moved over to pull one letter out, skimming it. _Ohhhh, oh no. It’s a cipher._ He frowned, puzzling over it for a moment. The polybius square cipher had obviously been written with a key that only he and Bernael would know, since Watari would absolutely _not_ have kept any of these letters if he had figured it out. “This… might take a little more time than I have today.”

 

Sighing, L smoothed out the letter on top of the piano, taking his new phone out and beginning to snap pictures of each section, putting it back in it’s envelope when he was done and setting it aside. His thoughts were racing back to their only real, significant meeting as he repeated the process with each letter, making sure to carefully put them back into the order they had been in. _It has to be something from that exchange. Was it something I said, or something HE said?_

 

\---12 years ago, late May, at Wammy’s House in Winchester, England---

 

 _‘Don’t tell the other students who you are. For now, you’re just another hopeful entrant to the program.’_ That was easy for Watari to say. L turned wide eyes to the doorway, watching the other ‘hopefuls’ ( _do they really even want to BE a part of this program?)_ file into the room and take seats at various desks from his crouch at the very back of the room. Some of them recognized him from elsewhere around the orphanage or other classes, but even _they_ didn’t know he was _‘the L’_ , they just saw his strange mannerisms and too wide eyes and baggy clothes, snickering behind their hands as they took seats away from his slight figure. He averted his eyes, returning them to the sketchbook he carried around with him everywhere, to either draw in when he was feeling anxious, or to jot down case notes in the cipher he had created. 

 

 _“I don’t want to be here. Why is Watari making me take part in this program?”_ he scratched out furiously in code on the paper, fingers of one hand stuck in his mouth as he chewed anxiously, eyes darting over to the mean kids. _“And why are THEY here? I should tell him that the mean ones are too judgmental to be effective, but… then Watari might think I’M being too judgmental.”_

 

The noise level in the room dropped dramatically as the teacher walked in, heading towards the front of the room, and L winced when he realized it was _Roger_. _Nonono, he doesn’t like me. I don’t want to deal with him today._ Lucky he was smaller than normal, and _very_ quiet when he wanted to be. L slid down out of his seat and started to sneak out of the classroom, cheeks reddening as he heard some of the other students beginning to snicker again. _No, you’re ruining it! Please don’t tell him-_

 

“Hey, who is sneaking out back there?!” Caught, L straightened up, looking back at Roger with wide eyes, and turned and fled before the man could say a word, bare feet slapping against the hardwood floors as he barrelled towards the nearest door out onto the grounds.

 

Beyond was ‘supposed’ to be in Advanced Mandarin right now, but he had a bad stomach ache from a dare he’d won over lunch….and was too proud to let the other kids see him yaking in the bathroom. So he was hiding in the huge oak tree at the far east corner of the grounds, cursing himself between retches until he had nothing left in his stomach to expel. He let his legs dangle down from the branch as he leaned back against the stout tree, mumbling, “Fuck...why do I let them taunt me into this shit every time?” He could never turn down a dare, no matter how stupid or dangerous, and this time ‘E’ had dared him to drink a cup of Windex in exchange for most of a pack of cigarettes. _Seemed like a fair deal at the time..._ Now? He dug into his pocket and grabbed the crumpled pack, hurling it in the general direction of the fence. “Bah!”

 

He was so bleary and feverish that it wasn’t until someone had run into his legs jutting out from under the tree that he noticed another’s presence. 

 

“OW! Fuck!” L staggered back, clutching at his ear as he peered up sulkily at the owner of the legs.

 

“Hey! Find your own tree to puke under!” Beyond muttered more miserably, “This one’s taken.”

 

“It’s a bloody good thing I wasn’t facing forward, you prick, or you would’ve kicked me right in the eye!” L groused indignantly, glaring. Never mind that _he_ was the one who had run into the other kid in the first place. His eyes went wide once he’d processed what had been said, and he looked around wildly on the ground. “Ewwwww, wait, _what_? Why were you puking?” _Oh god, I hope I didn’t step in any,_ he thought in alarm, snatching his sketchbook up from where it had fallen, pinched between his thumb and his forefinger as he sniffed it carefully. “Oh thank God.” He clutched it to his chest and heaved a sigh of relief, stiffening when he thought he heard voices from back the way he’d come.

 

Glancing back, L didn’t _see_ anyone, so he might have been imagining things, but he wasn’t taking any chances. “Oi, budge up, I’m trying to hide from Roger,” he called up, stuffing the book down the front of his pants and jumping up to catch the lowest branch and pull himself up into the tree, practically sitting on the other boy’s leg for a moment before scrambling up higher.

 

“H-hey!! Did I say you could come up here?! LA NAIBA!” Beyond’s native Romanian had a tendency to slip out when he was extremely flustered or angry, and some gangly kid commandeering his puking tree and scrambling over his legs was enough to do both. He reached up to shake the branch the kid was sitting on, grinning mischievously when the usurper almost fell off and into the minefield below. “Hehehe, careful, no telling what’s down there!” He shook it again, harder this time, stopping only when he heard the angry voice of Roger getting closer. 

 

“Heeey, stop!” L whined, nearly losing his grip. He clung to the branch and glared down at what’s-his-face, sending a warning kick at the kid’s head. The second shake almost dislodged him completely, and he yelped, managing to catch himself and haul himself up, clinging to the branch now like a koala. “That’s not very-”

 

“Luca!!” Some rustling of bushes and hedges could be heard, along with soft curses in a cockney accent. “LUCA GET BACK IN CLASS RIGHT NOW!” But the voice was meandering, clearly not able to track the obvious footprints that Beyond could see leading right up to this tree. _Idiot._

 

As Roger’s voice cut across the yard, the blood drained from L’s already pale face and he immediately froze, eyes huge and pleading as he stared down at the other boy. _Noooo, nonono, I’m sorry, please don’t tell him I’m here._ L’s gaze slid down to the ground; the other boy hadn’t been kidding when he’d said he’d been puking, and wouldn’t it be _just_ his luck if Roger caught him in this tree, of all places. His breathing was erratic, already hearing the taunts from the other kids after Roger told the story. ‘ _Puke-a, sitting in a pukey tree! Perfect place for him to be!’_ And he knew that Roger absolutely _would_ share that story.

 

Beyond looked up at the branch where ‘Luca’ was perching nervously, and it would have been so easy to just say, _He’s here! Come and get this trespasser!_ Sure, he’d be in trouble too, but when wasn’t Beyond in trouble? He could make up so many convincing lies as to being sick, the evidence was all around them. 

 

“Please don’t tell him,” L whispered, nearly inaudible, meeting the other boy’s eyes. _Wait… does he have purple eyes?_

 

 _I could just shake it one more time, send him toppling onto Roger’s toupee._ But Beyond didn’t. He waited until Roger had stumbled off into the other side of the yard before peering at ‘Luca,’ then above the boy’s head, focusing on the red letters that swirled there. _Llewelyn Lawliet. All those Ls...Ahaha, so it’s you._

 

As Roger stumbled his way past them, L finally relaxed, surprised and grateful when he wasn’t turned in, and he laid his head down on the branch, closing his eyes.

 

Beyond gave ‘L’ a shit-eating grin, leaning back on the large branch he was sitting on. “Guess he wasn’t calling the right name anyway, was he?” _Yeah, you’re him._ It always felt so good to know a secret, and this one was a doozy. 

 

L’s eyes popped back open when the other boy started to speak. _Wrong name? What does he mean by that? How would he even know it?_ That grin on the boy’s face made him nervous, and his jaw slowly fell open in shock. 

 

“You know, I always thought you’d be older than me. Or taller, or….” Beyond scrutinized ‘Llewelyn’ for a moment and then shrugged, pretending to take his eye off the other boy but still observing furtively. “Looks like even L can’t skip class.” He was fishing, but had a strong hunch and nothing to lose.

 

“Wait-” The boy just said his name like it was no big deal, no indication that he was phased in the slightest. It was unnerving. “H-how did you know who I am?” L croaked out, finally letting go of the branch and sliding down to drop onto the strange boy’s branch, steadying himself in a crouch in front of him and staring intently, fingers wrapping around the branch above for more stability. “Who are _you_?”

 

Beyond sat up and crouched in a mimic of L, positioning his hands in the same location on the branch, slouching his shoulders and tilting his head identically. _So I was right._ “Who am I? Why your Backup, of course.” He continued mimicking every motion and mannerism of L’s, both observing and mirroring at the same time. “Or am I Alternative’s Backup? Hmm, not sure, they never really tell _us_ anything do they?” Beyond mouthed out L’s full name, _Llewelyn Lawliet_ , almost as if he disbelieved his eyes. “Guess I get why they just call you L or Luca, that’s a mouthful..” He twittered quietly, not wanting to draw Roger’s attention to their hiding place. 

 

“What are you talking about?” L frowned in confusion. He’d heard of ‘B’, but he hadn’t actually _met_ most of the top kids in the program yet. _And… I don’t even know my real name, how does HE know it?_

 

They stared at each other across the branch for a long moment before L repeated the question of how Beyond knew. _Wish I knew what to tell you, but I don’t._ Beyond just shrugged, but the look on his face betrayed the obvious lie, “Just a lucky guess.”

 

\---back to present day Tokyo---

 

‘ _I’m your Backup, of course._ ’ L’s eyes widened as he remembered that exchange, his breathing speeding up and his phone slipped out of nerveless fingers to thump onto the top of the piano. ‘ _Why not just call me ‘Backup’ too while you’re at it?_ ’ Beyond had handed him the key. L looked down at the cipher, hands shaking, a fierce grin on his face and eyes gleaming as he realized what Beyond must have done. _Of course, he probably used the Romanian word for ‘backup’._ Watari didn’t know Romanian… but L did. _Rezervă_.

 

“ _Holy fucking shit,_ ” he breathed, giggling. “You brilliant fucking _bastard_.” He quickly took pictures of the rest of the letters. He had the key. Now he just needed to translate it. _I’m sure there’s an app for that_. “Ryuk, I will have these translated by tomorrow evening at the very latest, if you want to read them when they’re done. You are a goddamn life saver.” The last of the letters went back into its envelope, and he grabbed the whole stack and turned to Ryuk, handing them back. “Thank you _so_ much.” He glanced over at the microwave again and saw that he didn’t have that much time left to dally. “If you could return those to their rightful place now, the way you found them, you can come back up and grab a couple apples for your trouble. I need to grab something to eat.” _I’m starving._

 

But before that… he had a promise to keep. Leaning against the piano, he typed out a text to Light, unable to keep the grin from his face. “ **Letters acquired. Pictures taken. I have the key to the cipher, and have a little translation project to get going. Hope your day is progressing just as well!** ” This _almost_ made up for Aizawa’s rudeness… not that he was going to tell Light about _that_.

 

Now, L wanted to take his time to (eat, and) find the best app to convert the pictures into something he could decode. He was in the process of doing just that when his _other_ cell phone buzzed in his pocket. _Watari? Are they back from lunch already?_ Pulling it out, he flipped the phone open and frowned at the screen; sure enough, it was a text from Watari asking when he was returning. A glance at the clock told him he had lost track of time.  “Damn it,” he swore softly under his breath, unfolding himself from the chair and standing up with a stretch. “I guess that’s my cue to head back down,” he muttered, leaving the app running and activating the ‘do not disturb’ function as he moved his dishes to the sink, making sure to at least rinse everything. _I’ll wash them later._

 

Swiping a handful of cake pops from the freezer, L wandered back to pick up his phone, typing a quick message to Watari as he pocketed the new one. “ **Got distracted by the piano. Sorry. On my way down now.** ”

 

Watari’s reply was almost immediate, and brought a bittersweet little smile to his face. “ **Glad to know you’re playing again. See you shortly.** ”

 

“Wow, that _almost_ sounded sincere, Watari,” he murmured, putting away his phone and making his way back down to HQ.

 

\---

 

Light had been watching the clock on the wall avidly, waiting for the bell to ring to dismiss his last period of the day. He was extremely anxious to get back to the Park Hyatt and find out all the details of how the letters heist with Ryuk had gone, and then they’d have Beyond in their custody tonight. The seconds ticked by so slowly but when the bell finally sounded, he grabbed his backpack and headed for the door right away, nearly barreling into Shinji in the process.

 

“H-hey! Wait up, Light! I’m heading to the station too!” Shinji sped to a trot to weave between students and catch up with Light, tugging on his sleeve when they were finally outside. “What’s the rush, man? Misa waiting for you in new lingerie or something?” The good-natured grin on Shinji’s face fell away at the scowl on Light’s. “Oooooo, sorry, did you guys have another fight?”

 

Light considered telling Shinji to beat it, but he couldn’t bear to, plus he did like seeing his friend and had been a little neglectful the past week. So he slowed down marginally, walking beside the boy towards the station. “No, not a fight exactly.” He smiled as he watched Shinji yanking off his stuffy school tie and blazer, showing the punky street clothes he’d been hiding under his uniform. “She’s just been on my case a lot lately, and it would be nice to have...a little breather, I guess.” He didn’t want any complaints to get back to Misa, but he trusted Shinji to keep quiet.

 

Shinji gave him a side-eye as he snorted, “You never could lie to me, Yagami. You think I don’t already know you’re trying to dump her?” 

 

Light gave him a sharp look, “Shhhh! And that’s not true!” His eyes told Shinji that was _very_ true. 

 

“It’s alright, she’s cute but she’s psycho. Whenever she can’t get in touch with you, she’s hounding me. I’m kind of hoping you break up just so _I_ can get some peace, heh.” 

 

Light frowned, speaking softly, “I’m sorry about that, it won’t be like that for much longer.” They were taking different trains and Light’s arrived first, so he said his goodbyes to Shinji and boarded, sending a message to L as he waited.

 

“ **You got the letters? Great! I hope our friend made himself useful. I’m heading to HQ now, ETA 25 min. <3”**

 

He hopped off the train when it stopped in Shibuya, but he was still around 10 minutes walk from the hotel. Light had wanted to stop off in a shopping district first to try and pick up something for L to hide a scrap of the Death Note in. _He said he’d like a leather cuff, I think he said black._ He pushed the door open to a moderately-priced jewelry shop, waving away the shop worker who tried to help him; this was something he’d have to do on his own.

 

\---

 

The rest of the afternoon was uneventful; L had been pleasantly surprised when a sullen Aizawa had apologized to him for his behavior earlier, and a quick glance at Watari had confirmed that the man had received a stern talking to over lunch. (Though he had been a little more surprised to find out later that _Soichiro_ had been the one to do most of the ‘talking to’, and if _that_ wasn’t a promising sign, he would eat his shirt.) Either way, he had carefully refrained from being sarcastic to the man for the rest of the afternoon.

 

The most excitement (for a given definition of the word) came when news of Beyond Birthday’s ‘death by Kira’ had filtered in around two in the afternoon. Everyone had gathered around Aizawa’s computer to watch the accompanying video. Watari’s bland outward reaction had only barely covered up the tells that the man was smugly satisfied, and L didn’t have to pretend too much to be disturbed by what he saw. In fact, even though he _knew_ that Beyond was alive and well, seeing him supposedly die of a heart attack _hurt_ in a way he hadn’t been expecting, fists clenching at his sides as he looked away. _Fuck. I’m sorry, Beyond._ He’d had to excuse himself, much to the surprise of the other men, but if he hadn’t, he might have _actually_ punched Watari in the face for that callous disregard (no, outright _disdain_ ) for one of his former proteges. That was something he would have expected from _Roger_ , not from Watari, and it was _infuriating_ (and heartbreaking) to see for himself this side of the man he thought he had known so well.

 

Since then, every time L took a ‘bathroom break’ was really just an excuse to check on the progress of converting and decoding the pictures. He _needed_ to see what was in those letters as soon as possible. He was on one such ‘break’ when he saw Light’s text silently pop up, and he grinned, heart immediately feeling a little lighter, even as it began to pound.

 

“ **Got an app working on decoding them now. News of B’s ‘death’ has broken, at HQ already, but everything is quiet here now. I can’t wait to see you.** ”

 

Turning his phone off of ‘do not disturb’ ( _a calculated risk, I don’t want to miss him if he messages me again_ ), L stood up from where he’d been curled up on the floor and splashed some cold water on his face, exiting the bathroom and going to the fridge to grab the last of the cake pops he’d brought down. “Mmm, Yagami-san,” he said, taking a bite as he went back to his computer chair, plopping down and idly spinning around in it as he stared up at the ceiling. “Light-kun is on his way, wanted me to let you know.” Soichiro’s murmur of thanks made him smile slightly as his eyes scanned the room for Ryuk; that message had been meant for _his_ ears, in all honesty, but Ryuk had been popping in and out of the room all afternoon to see if anything interesting was going on. _Sorry, Ryuk, I wish things were a little more active right now_.

 

\-----

 

Light was just walking out of the second store in Shibuya when he felt a tap on his shoulder. 

 

“Light!! Oh darling, I’ve been looking everywhere for you!” Misa launched herself into Light’s arms, making him stumble back reflexively and grip his shopping bags tighter. He gave her a genuine-looking smile when she pulled back, and it took all his composure to maintain it as he saw the white hulking form of Rem hovering over her. 

 

“M-misa, honey, how have you been?” He swallowed discreetly and gave a small nod in Rem’s direction. _Oh shit...and Ryuk’s not even here. I have no way to contact L without tipping them off._ He suddenly wished that Shinji had stuck around but realized it was selfish just to use his friend as an out. On the other hand, he was _extremely_ lucky that L wasn’t with him right now, especially if they had been holding hands or kissing or --- _oh my god..._

 

Rem’s deadpan voice echoed in his ear, “Misa has missed you very much Yagami Light, and has been unhappy in your absence. You will explain yourself now.”

 

Misa pouted in his arms, “That’s right. My wubbykins has been ignoring Misa and I don’t like to feel neglected! Why haven’t you asked me to write any names lately? I’m getting booooored waiting around.” He lipsticked bottom lip was sticking out and she looked up at Light with puppy-dog eyes (if a puppy wore too much mascara).

 

Light set Misa’s slight form back on the sidewalk, courteously taking her hand as they walked. His heart was pounding but he maintained perfect composure; the trick here was to act like he was only busy with school and his Kira plans. “Yes, I’m _so_ sorry that the past couple of weeks have been hectic. You know I’d never ignore you Misa.” He nearly retched as he nuzzled her neck, whispering intimately, “It’s only that my current phase of _plans_ has me infiltrating L’s team. Isn’t that brilliant? He actually believes I mean to help him catch you-know-who, but it gives me the best possible view of what he’s planning.”

 

Misa’s eyes widened as she listened to Light, giggling at the ‘evil’ plan, “Oh my baby is so _devious_ , isn’t he? Hmmm, that makes me so hot for him. Can’t we go somewhere? _PLEASE???!”_ She pushed herself closer to Light, who only held her at a socially-acceptable arms-length.

 

“Now Misa, I explained before that I have to participate in the case after school and I’m heading there now.” His eyes flitted up to a glowering, but silent Rem, and back to Misa. Quietly, “I can’t raise any suspicions, like being late. It’s possible I’m still being followed.”

 

“Wouldn’t your shinigami help with that?” Rem’s monotone pointed out the obvious question of where Ryuk was. “Perhaps not. Ryuk is a rather lazy and useless shinigami.”

 

Light seethed inside, trying not to let his anger at that remark display on his face. _If you only knew the help he’d been today._ Avoiding Rem’s gaze, “Yes, you know how he can be. So lazy.”

 

Misa whined again but stopped when she eyed the bags in Light’s hands. “Hey!!! WHO EXACTLY ARE YOU BUYING LINGERIE FOR, HUH?!” She seemed to grow an inch or two in her burgeoning anger.

 

Light put on a congenial smile and pulled a lacy thong from his bag. “Why for you of course.” He pushed the undergarment into Misa’s purse, hoping she wouldn’t ask to see the rest of the contents of the bag. “It was _going_ to be a surprise, but I suppose you can just have it here. No reason, just because.” _Dammit. That was for L._

 

Misa went pink, smiling ear to ear as she giggled behind her hand. “Light! You romantic scoundrel, surprising me on the street like that.” She swatted at him playfully, peeking into her purse to look at her ‘gift.’ “And this is an expensive brand!! Where did you get---”

 

“Shhh, sweetie. Nothing’s too good for my princess.” Light smiled and pecked her on the cheek, waiting outside of a hotel that was decidedly not the Park Hyatt as Rem looked on. “I have to go to work now, but I hope you think of me when you wear those.” _Oh god, please don’t._ “I’ll be in touch soon, and you’ll bear with me, won’t you?” Leaning in he whispered, “It will make Kira so happy if you focus on your _career_ and await his instructions. Don’t forget your cover is your best defense.” Light thought all that advice sounded very practical and helpful for Rem’s eavesdropping ears, like he was giving caring advice to his little soldier. 

 

Misa squealed, squirming in happiness next to Light and trying to brush her body against him. “Of course! Misa Misa is your greatest ally and will do what’s needed!” She sighed as Light moved to make his goodbyes but seemed soothed by his words, actions, and presents. “Call me soon, won’t you, love?” Light smiled and nodded, waving as the petite blonde walked in the opposite direction. 

 

However, Rem lingered a moment. “Don’t forget I am watching you Yagami Light. Her happiness means everything to me.”

 

Light stiffened, the smile on his face becoming a neutral expression. “I haven’t forgotten, and you need not worry about that.”

 

Rem gave him a hard look, “We shall see.” She then floated off behind Misa, leaving Light standing in front of a hotel he wasn’t registered to, feeling like he wanted to run away and scream or cry. _I just want L._ He went into the lobby of the strange hotel and bought a coffee to calm down, then headed back to the Park Hyatt when the coast was completely clear. 

 

\----

 

L was frowning, tapping his fingers hard against the arm of his chair as he watched the clock. This wasn’t getting him anywhere, but he was too on edge to actually _do_ anything. Watari had received a text message about ten minutes ago and glanced over at him, but had otherwise done nothing, and it was making him anxious. Not only that, but Light should have been here by now, and that wasn’t like him not to text. _Where ARE you Light?_ To distract himself from worrying, or checking his phone, L sighed and asked idly, “So, has anyone found anything interesting on the Kira front? Any new criminal deaths?” _How long does it take for them to break the news of Jiminez’s death?_

 

Matsuda spoke up excitedly, eyes wide and glued to his computer screen, “Actually, yes! I’m… not sure if it’s Kira related or not, but I’m reading an article now claiming that ‘the man known as El Jefe’ is dead!” L’s breath caught, and he swiveled around to face Matsuda, staring intently. The rookie blushed a little at the intense scrutiny and added hastily, “They’re saying it was a snake bite, so they aren’t _sure_ if it’s Kira, or just bad luck, but it seems odd that he would be dead _now_ , after being in hiding for the last few years, y’know?”

 

“That _is_ odd,” L said slowly, carefully keeping his expression on the more neutral side. “How do they know who he is? Like, how do they know it isn’t some random _guy_?” _Oops…_ He’d _almost_ slipped and said ‘rando’. _That_ would have been sure to get a look from the others.

 

“Apparently, one of the doctors who tried to treat the snakebite confirmed that he had known the man for years,” Matsuda said, reading off the article. “Says here, ‘I treated him for years under the radar, made sure it never became public knowledge who he was.’ Dang, this doctor is just spilling all the details, huh?”

 

“Tea.” L smirked when Matsuda shot him a confused look, and then grinned when the rookie seemed to realize he was using internet slang.

 

“So El Jefe is dead,” Watari cut in blandly. L could see the crinkle around the old man’s eyes that meant he was trying to hold back a smile, and for a moment, he couldn’t help but want to kick the man. Again. _You were waiting for this TOO, you manipulative…_ Turning away, L stuffed the rest of the cake pop in his mouth, surreptitiously tugging his phone slightly out of his pocket to see if Light had texted. _Where are you? Ugh, I should have sent Ryuk out when I first realized he was late._

 

\---

 

Light’s jaw was clenched hard as he walked fast to the Park Hyatt, but it was a terrifying walk given there was neither shinigami eyes nor apparently the eyes of Watari’s detail on Misa to help him. _Where the FUCK were you Watari?!_ Watari had told L that he’d alert them to Misa’s whereabouts, but that hadn’t happened today, had it? The last thing he needed to do was lead Misa and Rem to where L was hiding out, so he had no choice but to be circuitous and oh so cautious, making absolutely sure _himself_ that he wasn’t followed before entering the Park Hyatt. 

 

He turned into the corner of the elevator to hide his red, puffy face from the security camera, texting L quickly, “ **Meet me in our room. Please.** ” He didn’t think he could just walk into the Task Force HQ quite yet, he was severely shaken and needed to talk to L in private, if only for a moment.

 

The elevator opened and he exited, heading into their suite and plopping onto the couch, head cradled in his hands. He needed to address the situation with Misa and Rem as soon as possible; they were both getting suspicious and impatient and he didn’t think he could keep this up much longer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [This](https://www.dcode.fr/polybius-cipher) is the square cipher B’s letters are written in.


	50. Earl Grey Morality

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Light and L read Beyond’s first letter but it only raises more questions. Their plans to cut the workday short and meet Beyond are temporarily derailed by a medical emergency, while Wedy and Aiber get Beyond settled in his new accommodations.

L was just standing up to go grab a soda from the kitchen, and maybe see if he could get Ryuk’s attention and send him to Light, when his phone buzzed. _Oh finally!_ He waited until he had the fridge open before checking Light’s message, eyes widening when he saw the short, terse text asking him to come to their room. “Shit,” he whispered, straightening up empty handed and grabbing his coat on the way out the door. “I’ll be back momentarily, just need to get something important from my room.” The door closed on a barking laugh from Aizawa, and L hurried as much as he could to get to Light. _That doesn’t sound good._ He cast a worried glance Ryuk’s way, and then let out a soft, humourless laugh when Ryuk phased up through the floor. _Please tell him I’m on my way,_ he thought, frowning as his flip phone buzzed. It was a Wire message from Aiber saying their plane had touched down and they were heading to the safe room, and L snorted. _Of COURSE everything happens all at once._

 

He didn’t answer Aiber’s message, waiting impatiently for the elevator doors to open, and once they did, he was down the hall like a shot and into their suite before he could get much of a breath. “Light?” he called, hurrying into the living room and making a beeline for the teen hunched over on the couch. “Hey…” Tossing his coat aside onto the chair, L climbed onto the couch beside Light and reached for him, hands pressing gently to Light’s back and shoulders as he asked softly, “What’s wrong? What happened?” ‘ _Where were you’_ was on the tip of his tongue, but he bit it back. That wasn’t important right now.

 

Light looked up as soon as he heard the door open, so grateful to see L’s face. He smiled in relief as the detective sat beside him, and Light embraced him right away, letting out a long exhale of relief. “I’m sorry I was late. Misa and Rem ambushed me on my way here. I had to appease her...then take my time getting here so they wouldn’t follow me.” 

 

He pulled back, a few tears running down his face that he _never_ would have let anyone but L see. “Rem was a little more menacing than she’d been in a while, almost like she suspects something is off with how distant I’ve been.” He wiped his eyes on his shoulder, feeling silly for getting so worked up, but he’d had to stifle every emotion when he’d really needed to feel it. “She said she was watching me, and the way she said it…” It made Light shudder softly, and he clung to L tighter. If Ryuk was to be believed, Light wasn’t in danger from Rem, but that wasn’t what he was worried about. Rem could _not_ see L’s real name.

 

As Light relayed the story of what happened, L couldn’t help but feel guilty again. He should have _realized_ something like this might happen. After Wednesday and Misa’s complete blow up, it had seemed surprisingly convenient that they hadn’t had to worry about the blonde demon and her shinigami, and in truth, he hadn’t been paying as much attention to her as he should have been. _A mistake I sure as hell won’t be making twice. Looks like Watari’s supposed tail on Misa is more for HIS benefit than ours._ His eyes narrowed as he thought back to that odd glance Watari had given him after the text he’d received. It was about the right time for Light to have been ambushed. _Seriously, Watari?_

 

Light pulled back, taking deep breaths to center himself. “Sorry for pulling you away from everyone, I just needed…” He laughed softly, taking L’s hand and holding it to his face. “...just needed a moment alone with you to feel better before going down there.” 

 

Lips twitching with the urge to smile at the feel of Light’s skin under his fingers, L said softly, “Don’t you _dare_ apologize for that. You need me more right now, and besides… I’ve been in and out of there all day. I’m sure they’ll think this is just another case of me being flaky and bored.” _And thank goodness for that._ He pressed a gentle kiss to Light’s hair, free hand moving to idly rub soothing circles on Light’s back. “How _do_ you feel now? Any better?”

 

Light relaxed against L’s soothing touch, his reassuring words, and was indeed feeling much better just being near to him. “Yes, I do feel better. You have the Midas touch when it comes to that.” He leaned in and kissed L briefly, as he’d thought about doing all day, and the hammering in his chest was starting to lessen. He kissed L’s palm and asked, “I know we don’t have much time, but...is Beyond here now?”

 

L chewed on his bottom lip for a moment, trying to decide between propriety and throwing that out the window and just telling everyone to go home right now, but finally he sighed, saying, “You’re right, we _don’t_ have a lot of time, but the team can suck it the fuck up. Aiber said he’s on the way with Beyond right now.” 

 

Light leaned back on the couch, thinking with a clearer mind than he’d had a moment before. “I think I succeeded in putting Misa and Rem off a little longer,” he didn’t feel the need to elaborate as L had seen him in action enough to know what he was capable of, “but it won’t work forever.” He grinned at L, because it was hard to feel afraid of anything when they were together, “It lit a fire under my ass in any event. I’m anxious to speak with Beyond now. Ryuk got you the letters?”

 

Settling down with his legs crossed, L pulled out his new phone and pulled up the first letter, now that it was fully decoded. “Mhm. There were a _lot_ of letters. I’ve only read a couple lines of the first one, but then you told me you were on your way, so I decided to wait for you…” He sighed, wishing like hell that he’d known about them _sooner_. 

 

Light took L’s new phone, giving it a brief once-over before reading the decrypted letter from Beyond that was displayed there:

 

**Luca,**

 

**Still calling yourself that? Bet you have a list of aliases as long as my demerits at Wammy’s now.**

 

**Speaking of that hellhole, they kicked me out and I’m stowing away on a ship to America. Queen and country can kiss my ass along with R and W. The hold smells like fish and I’ll probably smell worse by the time we get to Boston. If the letter stinks too, I don’t apologize. But you never were very good at smelling something fishy when it came to certain things, heh.**

 

**I don’t have a lot of time so I’ll get to my fucked up points, although I’ll probably just sound insane. Did you know what they were doing at Wammy’s? How they collected half-human kids, waited for some of us like A to DIE and did jack shit but take notes? (What’s the other half you ask? Hell if I know.) Did you know they never expected A to live to adulthood…that Watari had a theory he would die? He’s a collector, and we’re all just his experiments, related to some past life he had decades ago.**

 

**I know how that sounds but I read his notes myself. You have to believe me. You have to DO something.**

 

**Roger cut down the tree I fed with puke that day, the one I hid you in. I don’t know if you remember me Luca, but I need you to tell me you didn’t know. Tell me that you’ll stop it. You’ll think I’m crazy if I tell you that magic is real, but it is. So I’m hoping magic will get this to you somehow.**

 

**I’ll wait until I’m in America and reeking of fish and desperation to say any more.**

 

**~Backup**

 

“Backup?” Light wrinkled his nose at the odd and somewhat dehumanizing nickname. “Is that what he called himself or what he was called at...the school for your successors?” Either way, it didn’t seem to be a healthy identity for a young person to grow up with. 

 

 _Backup. That always made me uncomfortable._ “I think that’s what they called _him_ ,” L said softly, then shook his head. “The only time I ever spoke to him, that’s the only name he gave me, but it _seemed_ like he was saying it was the name _they_ gave him.” 

 

The letter raised many questions in Light’s mind but the overall tone was melancholy and confessional, but not hostile. “Well, there’s no doubt anymore that he was trying to tell you something important related to why he was expelled and...that something worrying was happening at the school that he wanted you to stop.” More importantly, Beyond wanted to know that L wasn’t involved with this; that seemed natural given the likely hero-status that L must have enjoyed among the orphans. _They all wanted to be him, but could only be him if he died. How morbid._

 

“Well…” L cleared his throat, hating that thick sound, and stared down at his phone for a long moment. “I don’t know what he wanted me to do, because I don’t think I had that kind of power over Watari. I would probably have been 16 or 17 when he sent me this first letter. But… now I’m intensely curious to know how the fuck my dad _really_ knew Watari.” _Watari described himself as my father’s ‘sometime colleague’? Now I’m not so sure it wasn’t more than that. And Watari’s old life had something to do with hybrids?? That HAD to be my father’s job. What did you two DO?_

 

Light closed out the file, handing the phone back to L. “He writes here that Watari is ‘a collector,’ and I don’t much like the sound of that. I want to ask more questions, like who exactly was this ‘A’ and why Beyond is calling you Luca.” They’d be hearing it from the horse’s mouth soon enough, and it would be L’s real and probably final chance to truly listen. But, anything L knew now would be useful.

 

Taking his phone back, L pocketed it, thinking about how to explain. He remembered bringing ‘A’ up very briefly to Light over the weekend and not being completely open about his significance. It was time to rectify that. “Luca’s an easy one. Watari told me I couldn’t just go by ‘L’ when I was in classes, after I started making a name for myself as a detective, so he made me choose an alias.” Grimacing, he muttered to himself, “Though maybe if I _had_ gone by L, the other kids wouldn’t have treated me like shit. ‘L’ was worthy of respect. ‘Luca’ was just a weird, mouthy know-it-all.” _And don’t get me started on the nasty things they called me._

 

He took a deep breath, and then looked at Light seriously. “As for who A was… he was supposed to be my successor. Two years older than me, top of the program, brilliant, and seemingly the most _chill_ person at Wammy’s House. Everyone who knew him wanted to be his friend.” He looked down at his hands. “He’s the one I said died. Except… my understanding of it was that he committed _suicide_. I was already avoiding Wammy’s for other reasons, but after hearing what happened to him, I just… haven’t been back. I thought it was partially _my_ fault, with the program putting too much pressure on him, and…” _Beyond is implying that might not have been the case, if Watari and Roger were WAITING for him to die._ “Now… Light, I don’t know _what_ to think anymore.”

 

“I think only Beyond can answer those questions, L.” Light frowned slightly, not at L, but just gazing towards the window and imagining growing up in such a place as Beyond’s letters and L described. _I have a feeling he’s not the only one who died._

 

L shot Light a brief, wan smile before saying, “Yeah… Yeah, I know, I was just thinking out loud. Anyway…. We should go.” His gaze slipped to the side, eyeing the bags that were sitting on the floor by Light’s feet. “... I’ll ask what’s in the bags later.” _And I’m definitely going to make today a short work day, I have no desire to be down there for too much longer._ He reached for Light’s hand, squeezing it once more as he leaned in for a lingering kiss. “I really _did_ miss you today,” he breathed, stepping back towards the door now.

 

“You’re right, let’s go.” Light nodded and stood up, stashing the shopping bags in the bedroom closet before following L to the door. He felt better by far, but the knot of uneasiness that his encounter with Misa and Rem was still there, if smaller thanks to L’s kiss. He smiled into it, holding onto L a moment more. “I missed you too.” He whispered with a more mischievous tone, “Wait until you see what’s in that bag. I think you’re really going to like it.” 

 

 _I’m really going to like it, huh?_ Well, now L was _really_ curious. He snorted a little as they left the suite, and even though he knew he had to maintain a somewhat professional distance from Light once they got down to HQ… it didn’t stop him from leaning comfortably into Light’s side, glancing up at him as he thought about the myriad possibilities. _I didn’t get a good look at the logo on the bag, so there’s no way I’m going to be able to figure it out._

 

\---in the basement of the Park Hyatt skyscraper, around 5 pm-ish---

 

“I don’t see why I had to change clothes! What I was wearing before was MUCH more comfortable.” Beyond huffed as he was guided into the service elevator from the private underground parking lot beneath a skyscraper. As soon as they’d landed in Tokyo, he’d been rushed and manhandled into a car without being given much information. 

 

“Are you even going to tell me where I AM?” He glowered beneath the oversized black hoodie hiding his face from any cameras. His hands were cuffed inside the large pocket in the front of the hoodie, and Aiber was firmly holding on to his arm in case he got any ideas about bolting. _Guess I can’t blame them. I probably would run if I could._

 

In the elevator, Aiber pulled a long black blindfold from his coat, and wrapped it around Beyond’s head with quiet apology. “I’m sorry,” Aiber murmured to Beyond, sighing a little at the younger man’s glower. “I know this must seem very abrupt, I _know_ it’s a far cry from the informality on the plane, but unfortunately, secrecy is now our top priority.” 

 

Beyond rolled his eyes but stood still, recognizing the telltale signs of L all over this. “L’s still paranoid as ever, I see.” 

 

Aiber laughed a little at Beyond’s barb, because it was absolutely _true_ … but at the same time, L hadn’t returned his messages, which meant that the detective wasn’t free to do so at the moment. _He may not even have seen them yet._ Which just went to show how much that paranoia was perhaps _warranted_.

 

Beyond heard the elevator ding, and stumbled down a long hall behind Aiber, finally stopping after a few minutes. There was someone new standing close by, he could smell the mixture of expensive perfume and cigarette smoke. 

 

Wedy was leaning against the door to the heavily-secured (she’d even say over-secured) apartment-like cell she’d worked around the clock to set up at L’s request. Her red lips curled into a smile as she saw Aiber with the blindfolded prisoner, “So this is him, hmmm? Did he give you any trouble?”

 

It was nice to see Wedy again, and Aiber eyed the door with it’s heavy security features with eyebrows raised before turning a fond smile to her. “I wouldn’t exactly call it _trouble_ , no. A lot of lip, maybe.” _And an eyeful. And nearly a lapful._  

 

 _Ohh, she has a sexy voice._ “I was a PERFECT angel!” Beyond grinned under the hood, “I promise none of this is _needed_ , I’ll behave.” _Pfft, all of it and more is probably needed._

 

Chuckling, Aiber found himself briefly patting the young man on the shoulder as he added dryly, “I wouldn’t exactly call you an angel. This is necessary until L says otherwise. Which means you _do_ need to behave, alright?”

 

Wedy’s eyebrows shot up in surprise at Aiber’s fond behavior with the prisoner, and she eyed them both more critically before shrugging. “Hmm, well, a bit of _lip_ is always fun, isn’t it, darling?” 

 

She pressed her hand to the biometric scanner and then quickly typed in a code once the system beeped at her. Smiling in satisfaction, she pulled open the door and gestured to Aiber. “After you, boys.”

 

Aiber guided Beyond into the entryway, a little surprised to see just how fortified this safe room really _was_ when he saw a thick, clear plexiglass door at the end of the short hallway, another security keypad set up beside the doorway. “He really had you go all out, didn’t he?”

 

“Mmhmm, and different codes for each door,” Wedy confirmed, closing the door behind them and moving past them to let them into the main apartment. “You can probably take the blindfold off now, there’s only one more keypad for the bedroom. Might be nice to let our guest see what he can have if he proves he _can_ behave.” Not to mention she was curious to see what this young man looked like under that hood and blindfold. _The now-infamous Beyond Birthday._ She had been too busy putting the finishing touches on this place to watch the news coverage, and she thought it was utterly _tasteless_ that video had been released to the media, anyway, so she only knew about him from the articles.

 

“I’ll be good, _darling_.” Beyond was listening closely to everything Aiber and the woman he assumed to be Wedy were saying, and despite his quips, he was mentally cataloging every detail of his situation. _Thirty-nine steps from this door to the elevator. Four floors either up or down from the parking lot. Biometric scanner on the front door, also different codes for each door. They’re hiding me from something or someone, I’m assuming Watari. Is he in this building then?_

 

Aiber’s nearly friendly demeanor with him now was also interesting, but he’d known enough con men in his life to predict that this was also a way to keep him pliantly well-behaved. _Ugh, works on me too, damnit._ In a way, it would have just been easier to be roughed up or treated like shit like he was used to; Beyond didn’t have a lot of defenses or understanding of niceness and civility. Even at Wammys, Roger and Watari had considered him more a beast that needed taming than a child. 

 

Aiber and Wedy exchanged glances when Beyond called him ‘ _Darling_ ’, Aiber’s glance amused and Wedy’s confused. The look she gave him as she keyed in the code for the main apartment clearly said, ‘ _Please explain to me why this prisoner is flirting with you as soon as possible, thank you_ ’, though she didn’t _say_ anything. _Oh boy, guess I’ll have to tell her something soon._ Aiber laughed, shrugging at her and shaking his head. 

 

Beyond stayed quiet as he was led down the hall and past another door, flinching slightly upon hearing it lock and heavily bolt behind them. Then the blindfold was off and Beyond was looking around with wide eyes, feeling suddenly both afraid and excited to be somewhere new given he hadn’t stepped out of his prison cell in almost 3 years. He instinctively brought a finger up to chew the nail but he was still cuffed for the moment, and anxiously shook the hood back from his head instead. “It’s...ah, a little bigger than I’ve had in the past.” 

 

Aiber tucked the blindfold into his pocket and couldn’t help but smile at the almost childlike way Beyond looked around the room. “Yes, well, I can’t speak to that, I had no hand in setting this place up.” 

 

That made Beyond smile as he tentatively took a step forward to look through the transparent plastic. On the other side was a sparsely-furnished bedroom--- double bed, nightstand, dresser, a bookcase. He gasped quietly as he pressed his head against the barrier, “Books!” Grinning he turned to Aiber, “Is there any manga?” His brow furrowed as he thought how behind he must be on all his favorite series, but that would give him something to do if L would relent and let him have them.

 

Aiber moved up beside Beyond, peering into the room as well, chuckling at that eager question. “Did you get any manga for him?” he asked, looking over at Wedy. He _had_ sent her a message about the series that Beyond had talked his ear off about once he’d woken from his nap, and suggested that the young man might be more _inclined_ to behave well if they got him something he _liked_ to keep him occupied. He had always found that securing someone’s willing help was best accomplished by extending a gesture of courtesy; it showed the person that their needs or desires were being _listened_ to, and it also showed that one was willing to go the extra mile to earn their trust.

 

Wedy looked between the two for a moment, and then nodded slowly. “I went out and got a few volumes of the series you told me about, and then the store owner recommended a few other series he thought I might enjoy.” She smirked, red lips quirking up humorlessly at that. “I _would_ have been offended by his assumption that I didn’t know anything about the subject if it weren’t true. But I got a small collection of different manga for you…” She trailed off and studied Beyond quizzically. _He reminds me of L. Sort of. He’s kind of cute. Weird eyes, though._

 

Beyond gasped happily when the woman confirmed she’d procured manga, and it was a good thing he was cuffed so he wouldn’t clap like a gleeful toddler. “Yes! Oh you really are a queen. This is already ten times better than my last...um, residence.” But that also made him suspicious; L must need a pretty huge favor to extricate him from prison, save him from Watari, and then butter him up this much. 

 

“Thank you,” Wedy said, letting herself fall out of her own cheeky persona for just a moment to give him a small, genuine smile. “I would have hated to deal with prison, so I set it up a little like something _I_ would want to have if I had to be under house arrest.” The smile widened into a teasing smirk again as she added, “Besides, getting to play around with L’s money is _always_ fun.” She shot a grin at Aiber, wondering if that meant he’d been talking her up. “I pride myself on my interior decorating skills,” she quipped, cocking her hip to the side and resting a hand on it. 

 

Beyond said quietly, “There’s sheets on the bed.” _Don’t they know?_ He wondered if L had read in his file why he hadn’t been given sheets before. _Or rope, string, shoelaces…_ Still, he wasn’t going to question it or bring it up. Sleeping in a proper bed was much too enticing of an idea. 

 

His eyes fell to the tall blonde woman beside Aiber and he gave her a little bow, or as much as he could manage in his handcuffed state. “You must be Wedy.” _And more than just colleagues with Aiber, given that ‘darling’ bit and her joke about ‘lip.’_

 

 _Hmmm, so he DID talk me up a little._ “Yes, I’m Wedy. And you. Should I call you Beyond? That’s what the news is calling you.”

 

Beyond was secretly thrilled that the news was reporting his death, he always had loved attention in whatever form it came. _I’ll have to get someone to show me the news coverage._ In response to Wedy’s question about his name, he joked, “What...can’t I be _darling_?” He snickered at her expression, affecting a faux innocent look, “Kidding, kidding. Yes, you can call me Beyond.” It wasn’t the name he saw in the mirror, but _they_ didn’t need to know that the name he’d been called his whole life was wrong. He knew he’d just sound crazy if he tried to tell anyone he saw names _at all_ , let alone that his was Bernael Antonia Beyondormason. _Who the hell named me?_ Not that his assumed name was much better. 

 

He nudged Aiber in the ribs as he gave Wedy an appraising look, “Not bad, not bad at all.” Winking at Wedy, he giggled, “Don’t mind me. Rudeness is all of my charm.”

 

Beyond’s commentary brought a short laugh from Wedy, eyebrows shooting up in surprise at his blatant appraisal of her and Aiber’s subsequent laughter. “Not bad? Not _bad_?! I’ll have you know I’m at _least_ a solid 8, you cheeky scoundrel,” she said teasingly, eyes narrowing as she shot him a fierce grin, stepping up to the keypad. _Never mind, I see why Aiber’s fond of him already._  

 

Beyond smiled when she didn’t take offense to his rude remarks, purring back, “An 8? Don’t sell yourself short, beautiful. Hmmm, and capable too?” _Merrie Kenwood. That’s pretty._  

 

Wedy smiled wickedly, just a hint of white teeth showing. “Oh, you’re definitely _lippy_ , alright. If you would be so kind as to turn around, that would be fantastic.” Eyeing Aiber, she turned to the panel and said teasingly, “Aiber, cover his eyes so he doesn’t get any ideas about _peeking_.”   


Turning around obediently as she fiddled with the panel, Beyond sighed to Aiber forlornly, “Lucky dog. Both of you.” 

 

A pleased smile split Wedy’s face at the compliments, and she said drily, “ _My,_  L is just bringing in all of the charmers these days. First _you,_ Aiber, and now these last two pretty boys? What’s a girl to _do_?” Laughing as she turned around, “Maybe some of that charm will rub off on _him_ one of these days.” _Well, some of it already HAS_ , she thought with a smirk.

 

“Darling, are you sure about-” Aiber started, and Wedy gave him a withering look. Laughing, he stepped back, saying, “Alright, then.” In a stage whisper, as he reached up to cover Beyond’s eyes with one hand, “I think she likes you.”

 

Beyond snorted at Aiber’s comment. _Likes me?_ “Give it time, she’ll be cured of that soon enough.” 

 

This time, the glance that passed between Aiber and Wedy was a shared sympathetic one. Aiber had called her after Beyond had gone to sleep and they’d talked about some of his impressions of the young man-- _though clearly not ALL of them, since he seems to like this guy a little more than is strictly NECESSARY_ , she thought, more amused than annoyed by that-- as well as Aiber musing out loud about what he had seen at the prison. So Wedy understood a little of what was happening here. Humour and friendliness was not something Beyond was used to, clearly, but she always _had_ been a sucker for the lonely boys, and her heart went out to him even as she reminded herself to remain cautious. Beyond _had_ still murdered three people, after all.

 

Wedy peered back to make sure that Beyond was turned around before inputting the last code, and the door clicked out of place. “Alright boys, once again, after you. There’s a bathroom off to the right - sorry, no door. L’s orders for now.”

 

Aiber’s hand was only over Beyond’s eyes a moment before he heard a series of indistinguishable beeps followed by a click in the door in front of him. When he could see again, a door had opened in the clear plastic wall and he wandered inside, squatting down by the bookcase to browse the titles. “Akazukin Chacha??!!!!!” He had a huge grin on his face as he saw several new issues from the past years that he hadn’t read yet. 

 

Aiber nodded to Wedy as he followed Beyond inside, a smile splitting his face as he watched the young man make a beeline straight for the bookcase, unhurried as it was. “That’s right.”

 

Struggling in the cuffs within his hoodie, Beyond looked up at Aiber, “These can come off now, yes?” So far, his captors had treated him decently, even kindly. It was baffling, but he wouldn’t bite the hand that fed him so well after such a long time of deprivation. He’d be content to curl up on his (actual! real!) bed with some fresh magical girl manga and wait for whenever His Highness L deigned to visit. 

 

Aiber knelt beside Beyond, laughing softly as the key came out of his jacket pocket. He pushed aside the fabric, fingers resting comfortably around Beyond’s wrist to hold him still while he unlocked him from the cuffs. “Wedy, is there any food in the kitchen?” 

 

“Yup, an assortment of healthy food and desserts, because _somebody_ apparently can’t go more than two hours without his sweets,” Wedy replied, rolling her eyes slightly, snorting laughter again over _that_ part of L’s request.

 

Aiber laughed at that and remarked, “Just as well.” He pocketed the cuffs and withdrew his hand from Beyond’s wrist, “Are you hungry? Or not right now?”

 

Beyond scooped up an armful of manga from the bookshelf and leaped onto the bed with a giggle. “Oh, I’m ALWAYS hungry.”

 

\---Meanwhile---

 

Light and L took the elevator down to the HQ’s suite, and Watari met Light’s eye as soon as he stepped in the door. _He looks a little smug today, must be pleased with himself over Beyond._ Light gave him a very brief nod but otherwise just went to sit at his desk next to his father. 

 

Stepping into HQ with Light in tow and his hands shoved into his pockets, L didn’t miss the way Watari immediately looked to Light, a small smile on the old inventor’s face. The smile disappeared at Light’s minimal acknowledgement, and L had to work not to cackle at that, going back to his own desk and climbing into his chair as he opened up his email. _Interpol is requesting an update AGAIN? Jesus, get off my back._ A scowl split his face as he immediately began typing up a response, fingers clacking rapidly across the keys.

 

Light smiled at Soichiro and resisted the impulse to make small talk, keeping things professional instead. “Good afternoon _Chief_ , did I miss anything today?” 

 

Soichiro’s mustache twitched as if holding back a smile, and he handed Light some printed out new releases. “Here’s the latest suspected Kira kills. Only looks to be two new ones since yesterday.” 

 

Light glanced at the coverage, seeing just what he expected. _Beyond Birthday and Matias Jimenez._ “I see. Two murderers, which fits the MO...but it’s a little surprising that Kira was able to find El Jefe’s real name.” Now that he _had_ gotten that name, Light was both eager and apprehensive to pump Watari for more, curious to know what the man’s database of secrets held and if he was hiding some of that information from L. He had a hunch that Watari probably let L see what was needed for cases and held back other things. _Probably so he can mete it out to Kira as bribes for doing his dirty work._ That thought made him slightly angry but he hid it behind congenial smiles to the rest of the team. He was anxious for this day to be over so they could meet with Wedy and Aiber...and of course, Beyond.

 

Watari watched both Light and L for a long moment, seeing L absorbed in answering an email, and Light engaged in conversation with his father. It seemed obvious to _him_ that L had left to go get Light, though no-one else seemed to be paying any attention to the timing of it all. His eyes narrowed slightly behind his glasses when Light made that comment to Soichiro about Kira ‘finding’ El Jefe’s name, and he idly sipped at his tea as he considered what the arrogant young teen might be up to. _I see you, Light Yagami. I am not swayed so easily as L._ And wasn’t _that_ grounds for frustration, seeing his young prodigy slipping even more out of his grasp every day and sinking further into _Kira’s_. He would keep his word to L, of course, and keep Light’s secret from the others… at least until he could figure out a way to get L back on track. To get him focused once more on what he _needed_ to be doing. _I need to finish that phone modification tonight. I need to be able to keep tabs on Light._

 

L was so focused on his email that when his phone buzzed in his pocket, he actually jumped a little. _Is that… Watari’s phone… good. That might be Aiber._ Tugging it from his pocket nonchalantly, he flipped it open and glanced idly at the screen before flipping it closed again. “Ryuk?” he whispered under his breath, low enough that the sounds of the computers were enough to drown it out. “Ryuk, if you’re around, please tell Light that Aiber is here and they’re setting _him_ up now.”

 

Ryuk’s head snapped up from where he’d been peering over Matsuda’s shoulder, watching the detective furtively play an obnoxious phone game beneath his desk. “Wha--?” He floated over to Lawli, listening to the request. “Oooo, Bernael’s here huh? I wanna go have a peek at him too.”

 

The shinigami settled on top of Light’s desk, half-phased through the monitor and various papers on top of it. “Psst, Light-o, you-know-who’s arrived, Lawli asked me to tell ya that Goober is setting him up.”

 

Light closed his eyes a moment and bit his lip at ‘Goober,’ making a mental note to correct the shinigami later. _If Aiber ever meets Ryuk he wouldn’t appreciate that._ He looked up at Ryuk and cleared his throat, nodding as he shuffled some papers to cover the tiny whisper of “thanks” as Ryuk went back to watching Matsuda losing at Candy Crush. Light was being very careful not to appear suspicious or like anything was off because he could _feel_ Watari’s scheming eyes watching him, although he couldn’t catch the man actually doing it. 

 

The beep of the coffee maker sounded, and Watari stood up and went into the kitchen, gathering the drink supplies up and bringing the cart around. “Refill?” he said quietly, congenially, stopping at each desk and taking care of each request. When he stopped at L’s desk, he frowned slightly when he realized that L was mumbling under his breath, and said kindly, “Coffee, or would you like tea this time, Ryuzaki?”

 

 _Shit._ L looked up quickly, his eyes wide and fingers stilling on the keyboard. “Oh… um… actually, yes please, I would like some Earl Grey tea, thank you, Watari.” His gaze drifted back to his computer again, going to the time, and he tilted his head, mentally giving Aiber and Wedy an hour to set Beyond up in his new ‘apartment’. _That should be enough time._  

 

Watari was initially surprised when L asked for Earl Grey - the young detective rarely asked for it these days, only when he was feeling particularly overtired or stressed. He pursed his lips and nodded slowly. “One moment, then, sir.” Watari returned to the kitchen to retrieve and prepare the tea, and set it down beside L a minute later. “As you like it.”

 

“Thank you, Watari,” L murmured, picking up the cup and taking a large, steadying gulp before falling silent, thinking. _How do I get us out of here and down to where Beyond is?_ “Actually… depending on if there are no new developments in the next little while, I think we should call this an early day, yeah?” He gave Watari a wan smile. “Kira’s kills today… I wasn’t expecting…” Trailing off, he looked down, shrugging as if he were still in shock, and then looked up again, glancing at the others quickly before returning his gaze to Watari. “I’m sure _you_ understand.”   
  
When L said he wanted to cut the day short, the tea request made much more sense to Watari. Watching L struggling to put into words what he was feeling-- _shock, perhaps a little guilt and remorse underneath it all, is he really so affected by B’s death? Or is it the fact that Kira took one of his collars out without telling him?_ \-- Watari nodded again, watching L take another hearty swallow of tea before saying softly, “I do. Take the time you need tonight, perhaps tomorrow will be better.” 

 

Light was adding all the pertinent information about the recent deaths to the task force’s Kira database when he heard L making quiet excuses to Watari to cut the day short. _You’re getting quite good at that L, it sounded completely believable._ But hearing Watari’s response, it occurred to Light that the man might have had a dual purpose in asking Kira to kill Beyond in secret-- first, to remove the thorn in his side, but second, to possibly create tension between Light and L. Watari _had_ asked Light not to tell L Kira was doing it. _Hmmm, quite sly, but you don’t know the truth._ In any event, it meant that they would get to leave work soon, and Light was anxious to go.

 

Watari wheeled the cart over to where Light and Soichiro sat. “Would either of you like some coffee?”

 

L watched him go quietly, sipping idly now at his tea with a blank expression as he tried to decide if that meant that Watari had bought his little act or was humouring him. _No matter._

 

Light nodded his head politely at Watari when offered a drink. “Yes, um, tea also, please.” Between the time when Watari had his back turned to make it and set it on the desk, he tried to catch L’s eye over his paperwork, but L was staring at his screen. 

 

After about 15 minutes of trying to get L’s attention, Light was a little frustrated, and he could tell the team was antsy to go as well. But the detective’s lids seemed a little heavier, his posture a little more slouched, and he wasn’t looking at Light but rather gazing blankly at his computer screen. _What? This is no time to zone out, L! Let’s get out of here!_ If anything, Light could have sworn that L was about to fall asleep, and he wondered if maybe he’d been….overexerting the man a little too much the past few nights. Light shuffled his papers and cleared his throat, unable to be any more obvious than that. 

 

Matsuda had no qualms about leaving early though. “R-ryuzaki?” He whispered rather loudly to Aizawa, “Is he falling asleep at his desk? I thought he just said we could go home?”

 

Mogi cast Matsuda a look that shut him up but the whole task force looked at a slight loss for what to do, Light included (although for different reasons). 

 

L vaguely heard Matsuda’s comments, but they seemed largely unimportant as his eyes closed. _Fuck, maybe I’ve been overworking myself. I forgot how sleepy Earl Grey always makes me._

 

Ryuk scratched his head and gave L a little poke in the side, “Eh...dozin’ off?”

 

L was too out of it to remember not to react when Ryuk poked him in the side, starting upright and mumbling something about taking a short nap in the other room. “Please… carry on until I’m back.” Pushing himself up to stand, L made his way carefully across the room, pausing when he reached the couch. He looked down at it with blurry vision, and then to the bedroom door, and decided instead to curl up on the couch.

 

Light watched in stony, dumbfounded silence as L lumbered towards the couch, collapsed on it, and promptly fell asleep. He didn’t understand it-- just minutes ago, L had been sending him messages via Ryuk about Beyond’s arrival and Light was anxious to go see about that. But now...well, if it wasn’t for the echoing snore (since when did L snore?), L looked like he was having the best sleep of his life. _I guess he really needed a nap. Well, things can wait until after he’s woken up and feels refreshed._ Beyond certainly wasn’t going anywhere. 

 

“R-ryuzaki!!” Matsuda stammered, sounding scandalized as he stared at the detective, already fast asleep on the couch, then around the room. “Are we just supposed to… do nothing while he sleeps _right there_?”

 

“Matsuda-san, he likely won’t be asleep for terribly long,” Watari said, a dismissive tone to his voice as he eyed his young protege. A faint smile flickered across his face at the loud snore that issued out from under the mass of wild hair that covered L’s face, and he had to fight the urge to cover the man with a blanket. _He would appreciate that even less than finding out everyone now knows he snores._

 

“What did he even say?” Aizawa asked, rolling his eyes and giving a glare to the sleeping detective. “I don’t speak _mumble._ ”

 

“Aizawa, that is enough. Everyone, get back to work and let him sleep,” Soichiro said firmly, a small frown on his face. If Aizawa said anything else derisive, he might be tempted to bring up the time he’d found _Aizawa_ cat-napping on the job six years ago.

 

Light reigned in his anxiety with a little sigh, going back to checking over some witness testimony that L had given him as busy work earlier, content to wait out L’s hibernation. Ryuk on the other hand heaved a disappointed groan, sticking out his tongue at L for spoiling his fun. A small glare from Light made him quiet down, behaving enough to float into the corner to sulk and refrain from poking anyone else or causing mischief.

 

Soichiro glanced up at Light from his laptop, “Light, do you know where that police file that I brought over from the station today is?” The older man rustled the files on his desk, not finding it. “The one with the times of death of Kira’s victims from the last week?”

 

“Hmm...I didn’t have it…” Light looked around the room, spotting a fat file on L’s abandoned desk. “Oh, maybe this is it.” He picked up his tea and went over to L’s workstation, setting his cup down to look through the file. “Yeah, this is it.” He picked the cup back up and handed the file to his father, taking a moment to stretch his legs and take a sip of tea before having to sit again.

 

But before he could even take a brief walk around the room, his world started to spin like he was on a too-fast carousel, vision blurring and mind becoming clouded. “Dad…” The cup in Light’s hand shook and fell to the floor, shattering as he tried to grasp the back of his chair for support when his legs gave way. His eyes closed before he hit the floor and the last thing he remembered was his father screaming his name.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In honor of chapter 50 (HOLY SHIT, FOLKS, can you believe we’ve written and published 50. WHOLE. CHAPTERS?), you get a cliffhanger!


	51. Sick People

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone mobilizes to help Light after he collapses, and L has to do some quick thinking to get to the bottom of what happened, while maybe finding a new ally.

“Chief, what do we do?” Mogi asked quietly, cutting his gaze worriedly back to the bedroom. Everyone’s nerves were still shot a half hour after the scare, the initial panic giving way to a tense jumpiness. Aizawa was pacing the room, muttering under his breath, Watari had just come out of the kitchen after putting away the clean dishes, and a quick glance into the bedroom confirmed that Matsuda was still hovering worriedly over Light’s prone form.

 

“I don’t know, Mogi,” Soichiro replied, voice tight with repressed emotion as he knelt beside the couch to try shaking the detective awake for the umpteenth time. The doctor Watari had called had already set Light up in the bedroom with an IV drip and a heart monitor before leaving, and now all they could do was _wait_. “Ryu- _zaki_ , wake up, damn you!”

 

A hitch in L’s breathing alerted them both that it had _worked_ , and a soft yawn and a lazy stretch accompanied it. The two men exchanged a look before Mogi retreated to his desk to give them some space. The Chief was probably going to want a modicum of privacy.

 

Blinking up groggily through his hair, L squinted, confused when he saw Soichiro staring down at him intently. “Yagami-san?” He sat up, yawning wide and a little woozy, and looked around the room. “What’s… going on?” Something struck him as _off_ , and his brain kicked in quickly, gazing around sharply now as he realized who was missing- “Where is Light? And Matsuda?” Mogi’s behavior seemed relatively normal except for the tense set of his shoulders, but the scowling expression on Aizawa’s face spoke _volumes_ , along with the worry that was apparent in every line on the Chief’s face. “Has something happened?”

 

“Ryuzaki…” Soichiro moved to sit beside him, leaning his elbows heavily on his knees and removing his glasses, sighing deeply as he rubbed at his eyes. “Light… He passed out about half an hour ago. Wa-”

 

“ _What?!_ ” L burst out, shooting up quickly, only for Soichiro to grasp his wrist and tug him back down to sit. “Yagami-san, is he-”

 

“Watari called a doctor,” Soichiro interrupted, giving him a curious look, and L realized that his immediate reaction probably seemed strange. “He’s still out cold, but… we’ve been told he’ll be okay. Watari and the doctor said it was an allergic reaction to something in your tea-”

 

“The bergamot,” Watari called, barely looking up from the electronics he was tinkering with in the corner. “It’s not an uncommon allergy.”

 

“Right,” Soichiro nodded, sighing again. He looked at L full on and said quietly, “He accidentally picked up your cup, took a sip, and passed out moments later.” He looked down, and scowled before murmuring under his breath, “I’ll have to make sure Sachiko knows not to buy anything with bergamot in it from now on.”

 

L had been staring back and forth between Watari and Soichiro during that exchange, but his mind was already racing ahead. _That doesn’t sound like… an allergy? He passed out after he drank some of MY tea?_ “You’re sure it was _my_ tea, sir?” L asked in a hush, and when Soichiro swallowed and nodded, L’s lips thinned out. “Light is in the bedroom right now?” Another nod, and L stood up, swaying slightly as a wave of dizziness swept over him, instinctively clutching the Chief’s shoulder for a moment before letting go with a murmured apology. “I’m going to go check on him.”

 

“Ryuzaki,” Soichiro said softly. L stopped and looked at him. “We tried to wake you up after it happened.” A glance down at his watch, “It’s been… forty minutes now.”

 

With a slow nod, L turned and made his way to the bedroom, cataloguing everything Soichiro had just told him and taking mental stock of the entire situation. Including his _own_ physical and mental state upon waking up. _That tea has always made me feel sleepy, now that I think about it. I should have remembered before I asked for it, but it’s been a while since I had it._ It didn’t make sense though that the slight sleep-inducing effect would cause Light to pass out cold. _Was it really an allergic reaction?_ Not to mention that if it _had_ been an allergic reaction, Light should have been rushed _immediately_ to the hospital. The fact that he _hadn’t_ been sent up a big red flag to L, because that could only mean Watari was deliberately trying to hide something. No, the picture _he_ was seeing was very different from an ‘allergic reaction’. “Matsuda, you may go,” he said quietly, coming up behind the rookie and looking down at Light in concern, gaze flicking quickly around the room for Ryuk.

 

Matsuda’s head shot up when Ryuzaki came in the door, heaving a sigh of relief, “Ryuzaki...oh thank goodness you woke up.” He stood up and patted Light’s hand lamely, not really knowing what else to do after being dismissed. “Ok. He’s a little in and out of it, but the, uh, doctor said that was normal for this type of reaction? Anyway…” Matsuda ducked his head and left the room, and the sounds of soft murmuring voices could be heard through the closed door.

 

“Thank you for staying with him,” L mumbled absently, unable to take his eyes off of Light as the rookie left the room. Maybe later he would appreciate the obvious concern more, but for now, he needed to make sure for _himself_ that Light was going to be okay.

 

Light was having trouble holding onto consciousness, but he felt himself on much firmer ground at the sound of L’s voice. He felt weak and disoriented, too afraid to talk openly in case he wasn’t grasping the whole situation. He was at least awake enough to be cautious, and he’d already been hallucinating when he’d first woken up. Despite all that, he lifted a hand off the bed towards L, or whatever his mind was telling him was L. “What...what happened?” _Please let us be alone...._

 

Ryuk phased right through the wall, wings nervously fluttering as he hovered close to the bed. “Lighto...damn it…” It was an uncomfortable and new feeling to be _worried_ about a human’s well-being, felt wrong like maybe there should be some rule against it. He’d had to hold himself back when Light hit the floor, his first instinct was to catch him, but stopped before he did that. He frowned at L but couldn’t really offer any explanation. He wasn’t even sure what he’d seen-- one moment Light was talking about files and the next the whole room was in a frenzy. “Don’t scare me like that again.”

 

The way Light was reaching out to him made L’s heart pound hard, and after a quick glance behind him to make sure Matsuda was truly gone and they had some privacy, L sat down on the bed beside Light, clutching his hand tightly. 

 

Light couldn’t help but grin drowsily, the shinigami’s words barely permeating the fog, but it was nice to hear them. His unfocused eyes met L’s as they finally joined hands, and it took a moment but he made himself recall the last thing he remembered. _My Dad’s scream...and before that…_ “Tea...there was a doctor in here….Matsuda said I had an allergy?” That was news to him. Light had never so much as had hay fever let alone something this severe.

 

It took L a few tries to be able to _say_ anything, and he glanced up at Ryuk with a shaky smile of understanding at the obvious worry emanating from the shinigami. “Your father told me… you passed out after taking a sip of my tea,” he finally said in a soft voice, swallowing hard and ignoring the IV and the beeping of the monitor in favor of leaning over and trailing his fingers gently over Light’s cheek. “But I’m not sure if it was an allergy. How are you _feeling_ , Light? Are you _okay_? Is there anything strange you’re experiencing right now?” The urge to clutch the teen to him and never let go was strong, and he could tell that Light was still not feeling very well, but he _needed_ to know if his hunch was correct. After a moment, L _did_ give in to the urge, leaning down and hugging Light carefully, whispering, ‘“I was so _scared_ when I woke up and you weren’t there.”

 

Light sighed and managed to get his arms around L’s neck to hug him back, finally feeling a little more aware of his surroundings as he smelled, touched, heard L. That was familiar and comforting, and his panic decreased dramatically now that someone he trusted completely was here. He laughed softly, planting a kiss on L’s cheek. “I’m ok, just kind of foggy-headed...but it seems to be getting better not worse.” He put on a brave face, blinking to try and get his eyes to focus. “That’s a good sign, right?” 

 

L laughed softly, squeezing his eyes shut at Light’s attempt at acting brave. It was admirable that Light wanted to reassure him, and it was _working_ , even though he knew that _he_ should be the one reassuring _Light_. “Yeah,” he whispered, stroking Light’s hair and kissing his cheek, pulling back with a shaky smile. “Yeah, love, that’s a good sign.”

 

Light wiggled against the pillows until he was sitting up enough to take a good look around the room, taking in the wheeled-in medical equipment, the IV line ending in his arm, the soft beeping of the heart monitor. Softly, “Shit…” Had it been that bad? He’d only fainted, but then why did he feel like this? The mental haze made it hard to think through the chain of events, but concentrating helped. “Your tea? Oh...I uh...I walked over to your desk and set my cup down to pick up a file. I must have picked your cup up by mistake.” Light’s brow furrowed, because he clearly remembered only taking a single sip. “I barely had any of it though! One sip floored me like this? That seems...odd.”

 

When Light moved to sit up, L moved back, keeping a firm hold on one of Light’s hands as he finally eyed the equipment. He stayed quiet as Light began relaying what he remembered, and the uneasy feeling grew. _Yeah, that definitely doesn’t sound like an allergy. He isn’t describing any of the common symptoms associated with allergies…_ “Light…”

 

Light looked L full in the face, and something was not sitting right with the detective either, he could tell. He lowered his voice to a whisper and said seriously, “L, I don’t have any allergies. I’ve never reacted to anything like this.” Now that his mind was focusing, an allergy to bergamot was something he _knew_ he didn’t have. “I’ve had Earl Grey in the past, lots of times. Never had this happen. And…” He looked down and made a face at the needle in his arm, it was a little painful. “...why didn’t they take me to the hospital?” It was hard for Light to believe that his father wouldn’t have insisted on that unless… “Did…” He stopped himself before he said ‘Watari,’ unsure who was listening despite his whispers. “...did _someone_ convince my father not to take me?”

 

The kicker came when Light told him he had drank Earl Grey many times before. “You’ve never…” L fell silent, mind racing now. _What happened to him, and me, sounds like the effects of a strong psychoactive drug._ The problem now was finding out exactly what had happened… and why _Light_ had been affected so badly when he _hadn’t_. _Come on, moron, you can figure THAT out._ “I don’t know, Light, I honestly don’t.” 

 

Light was breathing a little quicker, the panic swelling up again as he suddenly felt very unsafe in Watari’s room. “I want to go back to our room. Please?”

 

L sighed and glanced to the door, then back to Light. “Of course we can. Do you think you can stand on your own, well enough to make it up to our room, or will you need some help? I’m not sure I’m steady enough to help you on my own right now.” _And I can’t say anything right now about WHY, but I’m going to need to borrow one of the men to help with finding out the truth, because Watari will have gotten rid of anything that could point to him… probably Mogi, he’s the most trustworthy._

 

Light nodded gratefully and pushed himself up a little more, taking a deep breath and swinging his legs around to touch the floor. But even that small motion made him dizzy, borderline nauseous, and he gripped the edge of the bed as he stared at the floor. _I just want to be in my own bed, able to speak freely where it’s safe._ “I’m going to need some help with _this_ at least.” He turned his arm, showing the needle still embedded in it. “Wonder where that doctor went to...maybe he’s still around? Matsuda and I think my Dad talked with him.” Light had been out of it then, but he recalled his father’s voice and another male voice, talking in hushed tones beside him. He’d prefer to just do it himself but his hand wasn’t steady enough, and he’d need some sterile gauze to press against the hole. 

 

L shrugged helplessly to the question. “I was asleep while all of this was happening, so I don’t know who Watari called. Sorry, Light.” He had a feeling it was probably Aiber, but he didn’t want to get his hopes up, just in case. Squeezing Light’s hand, L said softly, “I was going to send the others home, but I think I might be able to convince Mogi to help, if you’d like.” 

 

“Maybe, ah, give me just a minute or two and I think I’ll be alright to walk.” Light swallowed his pride, grumbling, “But I guess it wouldn’t be a bad idea to ask for Mogi to help. For the equipment of course. And... I don’t want you to be the one who has to try and carry me if I pass out again.” _How embarrassing._ He hoped he’d be just fine but they needed at least one clear-headed person due to the increasingly likely scenario they’d both been...drugged. _Ugh._ Light didn’t understand the reason behind it, but it was the only explanation that fit their symptoms and this situation. Realizations were hitting him now---like why L fell asleep--- but he was careful to keep quiet for now. Plus, his cheeks were burning with embarrassment thinking of how he’d collapsed during just his first few days on the team. 

 

Sighing again, L wrapped an arm around Light’s shoulder for a moment. “Don’t worry,” he murmured, letting Light grip his hand and brushing his lips over Light’s temple. “I’ll make sure you get back safe and sound, one way or another, okay?” He pressed another soft kiss to Light’s cheek and whispered, “I promise.”

 

L suddenly had an idea of what he could do to test his hunch, though, especially now that Light had relented and agreed to asking Mogi for help. He let go of Light’s hand, standing and moving quickly to Watari’s desk, carefully opening drawers. _Now where does Watari keep the disposable syringes?_ “Light…” _Ah-ha!_ Reaching carefully into the bulk package in the bottom drawer, L carefully removed two syringes from the top and slipped them into his pocket, asking as he closed the drawer, “Shall I go ask him now?”

 

Light smiled up at L. “Yeah, go ahead and ask him, if he doesn’t mind. I want to talk to my Dad anyway, so send him in here so he sees I’m ok.”

 

L looked over to him and smiled, “I’ll send him in. I’ll be right back.” He blew a quick kiss Light’s way, mouthing ‘I love you,’ before he made his way to the door, sticking his head out and calling, “Yagami-san… Light-kun wants to talk to you a moment.”

 

Soichiro looked at him in surprise, his expression quickly blossoming into one of relief as he said, “He’s awake?” L nodded, and the man nearly sagged in relief, giving L a grateful smile and briefly squeezing his shoulder as he walked past the detective into the room.

 

A fond ‘Light-’ was the last thing L heard as he slipped out of the room and closed the door behind him, going to Mogi and touching the man’s shoulder briefly to get his attention. He immediately retracted his hand once Mogi was looking at him, slumping against the man’s desk as if still tired and saying in a very soft voice, “Mogi-san, could I please trouble you to accompany Light-kun and I upstairs? He’s worried he might pass out again, but doesn’t want to stay here.” A faint smile flitted across his face. “And I confess, I don’t think I’m in the best shape to carry him if that were to happen.”

 

Mogi’s gaze flickered over him briefly, and he frowned for a moment before his features smoothed out, nodding silently. L gave him a brief, grateful smile and nodded to him. “I will let you know when he’s ready to go, then.” To Matsuda and Aizawa, L merely said quietly, “You two may go home. Thank you for… being here, and I will see you both in the morning.”

 

L turned away, only catching the beginning of the shared glance between the two as he walked over to Watari and shoved his hands in his jeans pockets, staring blankly at the old man. The fingers of one hand curled protectively around the syringes, the other hand clenching into a fist as he seethed silently, letting himself feel the ugly emotions that had been building since Friday. _How fucking DARE you._ “Watari.”

 

“Hmm?” The old man looked up from his tinkering, the face of benign confusion looking up at him. “Yes, Ryuzaki?”

 

“We’re going upstairs. Light-kun wants the IV out of his arm.” L blinked owlishly at him and tilted his head, eyes widening a little. “Your _doctor_ isn’t here, and I know _you_ have a bit of medical know how. Would you remove it, please?” _It’s the LEAST you can do after this._

 

“But his allergy-” Watari began, and L raised a finger, cutting him off.

 

“Remove it.” He stared, and then turned back to the room. “Now.”

 

“As you wish, Sir.”

 

L stepped back into the room, Watari trailing behind him, hanging back until it was obvious Light and Soichiro’s conversation was done.

 

Light released his father from a tight hug when he heard the door open, looking over Soichiro’s shoulder and maintaining a blank expression when both Watari and L came in. He looked back up at his father, working extremely hard to seem as normal and strong as possible, “I’m perfectly fine, Dad, no need for the hospital.” Soichiro had been having doubts about his earlier decision, but at this point, Light didn’t want to go anywhere but upstairs with L. “I’ll just go rest in my room and I’m sure I’ll be back to normal by tomorrow morning.”

 

Soichiro still looked worried, frowning slightly behind his mustache but stiffening a little when other people came in. “Well...I can stay with---”

 

“There’s no need, I promise.” Light patted his hand reassuringly. “Just felt a little faint is all, embarrassing really. I don’t want Mom to worry. I’m _fine._ ” Acting like he really _was_ fine was taking all the energy and concentration he had, but it must have convinced his father since Soichiro slowly nodded and stood up with a sigh.

 

“Alright.” Soichiro looked to L and Watari, waiting for him to finish speaking with Light. “Let me know if there’s _any_ change, any problem. I’ll come right back.” He squeezed Light’s hand and gave him a fond smile before walking past the others into the main room.

 

Light watched him go, feeling nervous with Watari in the room. He guessed L had brought him in to get this blasted IV line removed, but it was an enormous effort not to leap up and deck the man, given what Light suspected he’d done. _Drugged L, and me, as a consequence of that._ He didn’t let his expression turn sour though, keeping his neutral expression as he extended his arm. He focused on speaking evenly and clearly, “Would you mind removing this, if you feel you can do so? I’m plenty strong to go upstairs and rest.” It was a lie, but no way was he staying in Watari’s room a moment more than necessary. He caught L’s eye and saw his subdued fury reflected there, and also their mutual confusion as to what exactly was going on.

 

A faint crease in his brow was the only indication that Watari was unhappy with the current turn of events, and L moved to perch on the bed beside Light once Soichiro had left, watching the man with laser focus as he gathered the things he needed and began to silently remove the IV. 

 

Ryuk was hovering menacingly near Watari, wings spread and eyes glowing demonically. All traces of the goofy, playful being that Light and L knew had vanished; this was something truly nightmarish and terrifying if Watari could have seen him. Light reached out and brushed the shinigami’s arm like _‘shhh...relax’_ but Ryuk took no notice as he deftly pinched the needle end of the IV between his talons and stabbed it _hard_ into Watari’s hand. 

 

“OW!” Watari had been trying to cap the needle for sterile disposal and apparently it had slipped or… something.

 

Watari's outburst startled L, and he frowned over at the man, only to see him clutching his hand… and Ryuk hovering over him looking like the spectre of death that he was. _Oh crap. REALLY glad he’s on my side, now…_ “Tired, Watari?” 

 

Watari breathed shallowly to try and manage the pain, giving L a bewildered look. “Ah...ah...how...how clumsy of me.” Light was a good foot away and so was L, so it wasn’t like they could have logically done anything, but still… Watari frowned as he now cleaned his own wound, giving Light a hard look from the corner of his eye. 

 

Ryuk chuckled dark and low, reaching for the needle to do it again when Light coughed loudly to startle Ryuk and stop him. “Ah...Watari, thank you for help.” He stood up, ripping all the heart monitor leads from his chest in the process, and placed himself between Watari and Ryuk. Light looked up pleadingly to Ryuk, silently begging him not to go further. _I know you mean well, but you’ll only make things worse._

 

Watari shook his head, eyeing Light openly now. “You’re… you’re very welcome, Light. I’ll… just take these things and let you go upstairs, I suppose.”

 

L could feel his shoulders tensing up as Ryuk picked up the needle again, and, with Watari not looking at him, shook his head frantically at Ryuk.

 

Ryuk reluctantly dropped the needle at the look on Light and L’s faces. “Come on…” he hissed, plainly incensed. His blades snicked out slowly as a thin line of drool dripped from his fangs. “Just a little more….”

 

L finally relaxed when the shinigami let go of the needle, and though he really, _really_ could not blame Ryuk for being so angry, he _definitely_ didn’t want to reveal the shinigami’s presence to Watari. “ _Thank you_ , Watari,” he said pointedly, hoping his tone would get across to Ryuk.

 

After Watari had taped the gauze to the wound, and the needle and stand were moved aside, he turned his back to them and asked softly, “Are you certain you’re feeling better?”

 

“Watari, it was Light’s request to go upstairs,” L said, eyes narrowed on the man’s back. His hand found Light’s and squeezed reassuringly as he added, “And after _that_ scare, what he wants, he gets. We’re going back to our rooms.”

 

Watari sighed, and turned to them. “Then I do hope you get some rest and feel better in the morning.” His gaze quickly flickered to L and back. “ _Both_ of you. Will you be well enough to join us tomorrow, Light?”

 

It was hardly a fair question, asking Light how he was going to feel hours and hours from now. As if _he_ could predict the effects of whatever the man had used to drug the tea. Plus, he’d already said it to his father, and Watari was standing right there. Light tried to keep the irritation from his voice as he mumbled, “Like I said, I’m sure I’ll be fine.” He rubbed his arm, the pain from the IV wound was an irritating reminder that he didn’t even know what risk he’d been put in--- was it merely an annoyance, or could it have been worse? 

 

Standing up, L ignored Watari as he looked down at Light, giving him a quick once over before tilting his head slightly at the door and asking in a soft voice, “Are you ready?”

 

Light sighed, saying softly, “Yes, please, I’m ready to go.” He grasped the side of the bed firmly, using sheer power of will to keep standing on his own and nod congenially until Watari left. But as soon as he did, Light slumped back to the bed, weakly reaching for his work shirt and shrugging it on without buttoning it. _Shit_...he was sick of pretending, just wanted to be weak where it didn’t matter and lie in bed and rest.

 

“Good _night_ , Watari,” L said pointedly. Once Watari took the tray into the other room, L stuck his head out the doorway and called for Mogi, grateful when the big man bustled in immediately.

 

Mogi looked around, blinking in surprise to see that Light wasn’t hooked up to any of the equipment anymore. “Ahhh… What do you need, sir?” he asked L quietly, nodding when the detective merely pointed to Light and making his way to the teenager, extending his arm and letting Light decide how much help he needed. “At your service.” Lowering his voice to speak directly to Light, “Glad to see you’re awake, Light.”

 

“Mogi…” Light began slowly, tired already thinking of the trek upstairs. “I hate to ask, but if I could just lean on you, I’m sure I can make it.”

 

L held the door open for the two, itching to be upstairs already. _Mogi, I’m going to be trusting you with a lot, please don’t let me be wrong about you._

 

Light let Mogi sling an arm under his shoulders, which was more than he’d asked for but exactly what he needed, and they walked back to the elevator and then to L’s suite without incident. Once they stepped inside the door, Mogi was looking around, obviously impressed, but the officer didn’t let up his grip for an instant.

 

Mogi looked to L, as Light was gradually slumping in his arms, semi-conscious after walking all that way. “Where should I put him, sir? Light?”

 

Light laughed softly, glad they’d hidden all their toys and other _items_ safely away. “Bedroom, to the right.” He motioned to the closed door and Mogi helped him onto the bed, brow furrowing as he began to sense something more than a mere allergy was responsible.

 

It was something of a challenge for L to not be able to touch Light in any way at the moment; he desperately wanted to hold the teen’s hand or hug him, even just a comforting squeeze on his shoulder… but he didn’t want to be obvious about that in front of Mogi, and was honestly just grateful that the officer was so stoic about all of this. He opened the door into the bedroom for them and drifted after them, hovering slightly as he debated on how to broach the subject of his plan. _Light might not appreciate getting stuck with another needle, but we need to know._

 

As Light sunk gratefully into the pillows, Mogi pulled L aside gently, speaking in a whisper, “Ryuzaki, I have some experience...caring for sick people.” He didn’t want to come out and mention his sick mother, and left it at that. “Light isn’t...he doesn’t use _drugs_ , does he? His reactions, behavior ...they remind me of how people act fighting against intoxication.” Mogi had seen how his mother tried to act brave and normal around him despite the heavy narcotic painkillers, but it never fooled a detective’s eyes. Neither did this. The others might not notice a difference, but he knew the signs-- dilated pupils, weakness, disorientation, sleepiness. 

 

L was just about to make his suggestion when Mogi pulled him aside, and as the big man whispered his suspicions, his eyes widened. _None of the others caught that. But maybe they didn’t know enough to see it?_ “To my knowledge, _no_ , he doesn’t have a habit of recreational drug use…” He glanced back at Light for a long moment, and sighed, taking a chance and letting his worry show plainly on his face. “I’m glad you caught that, though, Mogi-san. I had the very same thought. I’ve seen these symptoms before.” He looked back at Mogi and chewed on his bottom lip as he thought, fingers once again closing around the syringes in his pocket. _He must be talking about his mother, for him to recognize the signs so quickly._ He frowned slightly, tilting his head as he studied the man. _At least Matsuda’s gossiping was good for SOMETHING for once…_ “If Light permits me to do it…” _What if he says no?_ “Actually… please give me a few moments, and I will let you know if I need you for anything else.” At Mogi’s nod, L murmured a soft ‘thank you’, stepping over to the bed and sitting down beside Light.

 

Light couldn’t make out their whispers, and honestly it just sounded like the fan in his addled state. He tugged at his clothes but wasn't able to make much headway, feeling quite sleepy now that he was safe and comfortable (except for his work clothes). 

 

L kicked off his shoes and touched Light’s hand lightly to get his attention, making sure to speak loudly and clearly, “Light-kun… I know you’re sleepy, but I would like your permission to take a blood sample.” He glanced back at Mogi to make sure the man was listening as well, a tiny, humorless smile flitting across his lips when Mogi nodded to him again. “I can have Mogi take it to get tested. Is that alright with you?” Lowering his voice to a whisper, “I can help make you more comfortable afterwards, I promise.”

 

Light smiled drowsily and took L’s hand, oblivious to how the familiar gesture would look in front of Mogi. “L….” His vision was only focused on L, only seeing L. “If you think it’s necessary, do it.” He shifted slightly, turning his arm on the bed for easy access. Even in his groggy state he knew what L wanted to do-- test his blood for whatever compound they’d been drugged with. _Yes, get the bastard. We may need proof._

 

L tensed in surprise when Light took his hand, but only for a moment. He supposed it wasn’t really _that_ surprising that Light would reach out for comfort, and a soft laugh left him as he squeezed Light’s hand affectionately. _No way could Mogi miss that. I guess the cat’s out of the bag on that one._ “I do.”

 

Only a flicker of surprise passed over Mogi’s statuesque face at the use of L’s real name, that touch, and he turned away in understanding, non-judgemental and professional. He waited for Light to assent and then stepped closer to L. “We’ll need something like a tourniquet if you’re going to withdraw blood, else he may bleed too much, or you won’t get a good sample.” It was a little awkward to admit he knew so much about these things, but then Watari seemed to have knowledge all over the place too. 

 

Pulling the syringes out of his pocket, L looked up when Mogi stepped forward with his advice, nodding mutely even though he knew how the procedure went. _Maybe I shouldn’t be doing it right now, though, since I’m really not in the best mental space_. “Uhhh…” _My scarf is in the dresser, I suppose we could use…_ His gaze fell on the tie that dangled from Light’s neck and his eyebrows arched up. _Even better._ “Right. Light-kun, we’re just going to use your tie, alright?” Releasing Light’s hand, L reached forward to pull the tie from Light’s collar. That done, he twisted around to give Mogi a small smile before saying, “Mogi-san… I’m not sure I’m really the best person to be doing this. Would you please take a sample from each of us?” He gestured to the syringes on the bed and moved away to give Mogi room to work. “I made sure to grab two.”

 

Mogi took the syringes with a nod, pulling a chair up to Light’s bedside to get to work on the blood withdrawal. He tied the makeshift tourniquet and expertly found a vein. “I can take them down to the station and have our lab run a full panel, unless you have an idea for what to screen. Could do it quicker if you had an idea.”

 

Light winced at the sharp stick and the uncomfortable tension of the tourniquet, but just focused on L’s face, closing his eyes as he thought he felt cold claws smooth back his hair. He was tired, so tired, but held still. Light opened his eyes at hearing Mogi’s question, murmuring, “Antipsychotics ..benzodiazepines...opiates.” He hoped Mogi was actually being helpful rather than spying on them, but L was in a better place to make that judgment call and was trusting the man with this. But _he_ was in a better place to weigh the symptoms he was experiencing against known drug effects. His symptoms could be the result of any of those, and they were three classes of drugs that were the easiest for Watari to get.

 

When Mogi was finished with Light, he loosened the tie on Light’s arm, capped the needle, and set it aside. He motioned for L to sit down as he pressed some gauge to Light’s injection site. “Alright, your turn, sir.”

 

“If you’d like to sleep now, you can, Light,” L said quietly, not bothering to suppress the urge to push Light’s hair out of his face. Nodding to Mogi, he sat back down, rolling up his sleeve and letting Mogi work as he reflected on what they were doing, on what they suspected. _If Watari DID drug me, and Light by extension, what else might he have done without my knowledge?_ The thought was disturbing. “Mogi-san,” he said softly, not looking at the man for a moment as he chewed on his bottom lip. “I know it will take longer, but… if you could request a full panel on mine, I would appreciate it.”

 

Mogi knew better than to ask why L wanted that, simply saying, “Yes sir,” and keeping quiet until he was finished. He pressed gauze to L’s arm and slipped the two capped syringed into his jacket pocket as he started for the door. It was clear L wanted to be alone now with Light. _Another thing I won’t be asking questions about._ “Would you like me to send you the results as they come in? His will likely be done sooner.”

 

Looking up at Mogi, L said quietly, “Actually, I would much prefer if you would deliver the results to me in person. Any electronic communication could potentially be intercepted. Of course, I will ask that you please tell _no-one_ on the task force about this.” _Especially Watari._ Hesitating, L took Light’s hand, and then finally said, “And… yes please. I _would_ like the results as they come in.” He glanced up again and gave Mogi a tiny, grateful smile. “Thank you very much for your assistance, Mogi-san.”

 

“Of course, sir. I won’t say a word.” Mogi gave a short bow and left the room, a soft thump from the other room signifying that the man had left the suite.

 

The murmurs between L and Mogi occurred at the periphery of Light’s consciousness; he wouldn’t remember them. In fact, he fell fast asleep before Mogi even left the room.

 

Once they were alone, L sighed and curled up on the bed beside Light, dropping a kiss to the sleeping teen’s shoulder. _What am I doing?_  

 

Ryuk was perched on the edge of the bed, staring down at Light with a thoughtful frown. It was hard for him to make any other expression than his usual plastered grin, but the shinigami did not feel like smiling at present. He felt hateful, murderous, and it was hard for him to understand the timing of Light and L’s plans. That made him feel frustrated. After Mogi left, Ryuk grumbled, “Don’t like this.” It wasn’t very philosophical or astute but it got to the core of how he felt. _Angry_. “His heart slowed. Slowed down a _lot_.” Quieter, “Didn’t like that.” His eyes could see into and through all physical things, including bodies. 

 

Tears pricked at L’s eyes as he took a shuddering breath, listening as Ryuk voiced his observations. “Are you saying he almost _died_ , Ryuk?” L asked in a small voice, looking up at the shinigami. From the way Light was reacting, it was clear that it had messed him up a _lot_ , and it frustrated L not knowing exactly what was going on… especially when _he_ had essentially been indirectly responsible for what had happened. _He_ didn’t like any of this, either, but unfortunately, there was nothing he could do about it right this second. _Nothing but wait._  

 

 _I dunno._ “I’ll give ya some space.” Ryuk flapped up through the ceiling to make it look like he was leaving that way, but really he doubled back down to HQ to spy on that Watari. Ryuk had a nasty feeling about him.

 

As Ryuk flapped away, a shiver went through L, and though he didn’t know for sure what Ryuk was doing… he thought he had a pretty good view into the shinigami’s mindset right that moment. _We both care about Light._ He called, “Ryuk! I know you must be frustrated and upset, but please… if you’re thinking of doing anything to Watari, _don’t do it_. We need to know exactly what’s going on first.” He fell silent, waiting to see if Ryuk would come back, but he knew he probably wouldn’t see the shinigami again until later. _What the fuck am I DOING? I know Watari has been keeping tabs on me, and keeping things from me, but this? DRUGGING me? That’s…_ His mind refused to go down that path, and instead, he went to grab his laptop, letting it boot up as he carefully undressed Light and changed him into pajamas. _Might as well get some more coding done._  He curled back up beside Light and dropping a worried kiss to the teen’s forehead as he went to work, trying to distract himself from his useless emotions.

 

\---two or so hours later---

 

A knock on the hallway door startled L out of his focus, and he saved his work quickly before slipping out of bed and calling quietly, “Ryuk… I think Mogi’s back, if you want to hear the news.” A peek through the peephole confirmed it was Mogi, and L pulled open the door. “Please come in, Mogi-san.”

 

Ryuk had been glumly watching Watari downstairs, imagining all kinds of creative deaths involving the various offices supplies on the man’s desk, when he heard L call for him. Thinking maybe Light was awake, he zoomed up through the ceiling to check it out, keeping quiet since Mogi was there with L. 

 

Mogi looked at the young detective blankly before walking in. “You… might want to sit down for this, sir.” L gave him an unreadable look before perching in the armchair, knees tugged up to his chest and arms around them, and it struck Mogi again just how childlike the man was sometimes. He took a seat beside L and took a breath, still trying to wrap his head around everything. “Sir, there was a high concentration of chlorpromazine in Light’s bloodwork.”

 

 _Shit._ Closing his eyes, L exhaled harshly. _I wasn’t wrong. Fuck, but I wish I was wrong this time._ Once he got his breathing under control-- well, _somewhat_ \-- he spoke quietly, voice tight, “Mogi-san. How high was the dosage?”

 

“Not sure they could determine the original dose...” Mogi rummaged in his briefcase for the official lab report, handing it over to L. “Here’s the lab tech’s results for Light. Yours are still in process.”

 

L took the paper with a soft ‘thank you’ and a nod of understanding, idly skimming until he got to the section he wanted.

 

 **_Ordering recommendation_ ** _: toxicology panel for Patient X; suggested focus on antipsychotics, benzodiazepines, opiates_

 **_Performed/reported:_ ** _Mon/ same day_

 **_Method_ ** _:_ _Quantitative Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry_

[The report contained various other procedural details]

 

“That’s all Greek to me but this part seemed concerning,” Mogi pointed to the lab tech’s notes at the bottom. 

 

L went still as he read the lab notes. He half listened to Mogi to give himself something else to focus on besides the horrified anger that was threatening to overtake him. _How in the hell…_

 

 **_Interpretative Data:_ ** _300 ng/ml chlorpromazine ccn in the sample, well over the threshold for toxicity (200 ng/ml). Toxic concentrations may cause drowsiness, coma, hypotension, tachycardia, and seizures. Large daily doses of chlorpromazine may cause phenothiazine sudden death syndrome, although lower gradual escalating doses over time would mitigate risk. Estimated clearance time: 7-9 hours from acute intoxicating event._

 

Mogi swallowed hard, looking curiously at L’s face as to what it all meant. He was no expert or scientist but this didn’t sound safe. Quietly, “The, uh...lab tech told me this isn’t a street drug. Doesn’t make you high or anything. It’s more like something they’d give a patient to calm them down in a psychotic episode.” He took out the lab tech’s card and gave it to L too.

 

It took L a long moment to realize that the paper was shaking, and going blurry, and he quickly put it down, turning his gaze to Mogi as the man continued, struggling to breathe normally. “Or to induce sleep,” he said in a deadly quiet voice, averting his gaze and looking down at the card Mogi handed him. _I drank more tea than Light did, but all that happened to ME was I fell asleep for a short period of time._

 

Mogi paused; this was veering into personal territory that the detective usually never talked about, and he knew better than to ask. He went on slower, gesturing to the card, “If you wanted to ask them anything else, there’s their number. They were actually a little shocked with the results. I think...Light might have died. He was lucky.”

 

Ryuk growled under his breath. Even though he knew that Light technically _couldn’t_ have died (that was up to him, in theory), anything else up to including being brain-dead was fair game. “Grrrrr…..that piece of wampus shit.”

 

L’s hands were still shaking, and Ryuk’s reaction wasn’t helping his state of mind at all. After a moment, he had to get up and pace, too agitated to sit still. “Mogi-san… did his father tell you what happened?” _If he drank anymore, I WOULD have lost him._

 

Mogi nodded solemnly, even if he was dubious about the explanation Watari told Soichiro. “We were all there when Light hit the floor. Watari took Light into the bedroom and called a doctor, and Watari came back out after a while and told everyone Light had an allergic reaction but would be fine.” He exhaled, remembering his confusion. “But...obviously, that wasn’t true, Ryuzaki. Although I’m not sure why Watari would tell us something like that.” Watari was L’s man, after all. Shouldn’t he know him best?

 

Exhaling hard, L stopped pacing, hands clenched into fists at his sides as he took in that explanation, a chill going through him at the thought of Watari alone in a room with an unconscious Light. _Watari could have done anything he wanted. We got EXTREMELY lucky, good thing Ryuk was there._ It matched what Soichiro had told him. And the fact that Mogi had taken the initiative to express his concerns to L when he’d noticed something amiss with Light, and to answer L’s question _honestly_ spoke to the man’s integrity. _Besides, he’s going to find out when my lab results come back_. “Yagami-san told me that Light drank some of _my_ tea before he passed out.” Swallowing hard, L admitted, “I… think what happened to _him_ was an honest mistake.” He said nothing else, merely looked at Mogi for a moment, a solemn expression on his face as the implied meaning of his silence hung in the air.

 

“A mistake…” Mogi was wearing his investigator hat now, and while he was not L, he was no slouch either. “The dose was meant for you.” It was a bold statement since it seemed like L trusted Watari to take care of nearly _everything_ regarding the case, his life, their day to day. “Are you saying that you didn’t consent to the medication? Because if you didn’t, that’s illegal, Ryuzaki. That’s a controlled substance.” His brow furrowed as he was becoming more alarmed. _What was going on here?_

 

L let out a slow breath, looking down. _No, I didn’t, and yes it is. And I have no idea what to do with that information yet._ “I don’t know what to tell you, Mogi-san,” he said in a small voice, inwardly cringing at how childish that came out sounding. Clearing his throat, he spoke again, a little more decisively this time. “This is the first time I’ve… been made aware of it. I’m hoping the results of my blood work will tell me more before I, ahh… make any decisions.”

 

“I see.” Mogi closed his briefcase, disturbed to be made aware of a crime he could see that L was in no mind to report. “I’ll let you know when I get those results.” He peered into the bedroom, noticing Light was still asleep. “Guess he’ll still be feeling bad for the rest of the night, but it should clear from his system by tomorrow morning. That’s a relief. Was there anything else you needed?”

 

L stopped in front of Mogi, looking up at him unhappily and shaking his head. “No,” he said quietly. “Thank you for getting the results back to me so-” His voice broke, and L looked down at the floor, eyes wide as he tried to get his emotions back under control. Swallowing hard, he brought one hand up to rub against his eyes. “Actually… the only thing I need you to do is to please keep Light’s results to yourself.” He looked back up at Mogi, an unhappy frown on his face. “I don’t want Soichiro to know how close we came to losing his son. He’s had a bad enough day as it is.” _And I don’t want Watari to know that we KNOW._ “And whatever the cost of getting the tests fast tracked was, just tell me in the morning and I will reimburse you. Thank you again.” _He’s definitely proven himself to be as trustworthy as I hoped._

 

He glanced at Ryuk for a brief moment, waiting until Mogi had left the suite to turn to the shinigami full on, not bothering to hide his emotions anymore. “Ryuk. I _promise_ you that Watari will get his comeuppance for this.” He clenched his fists, head bowed again as he forced the words out. “Not _yet_ , but soon. I promise. We still need him for now, unfortunately.” _But I don’t know how I can trust him again after this._  

 

Ryuk looked at L balefully but nodded in understanding. He knew Light trusted this person, so the shinigami did too, figuring he knew better what to do. He kicked at the carpet, “Was just gonna prank ‘em a little.” Truthfully, Ryuk knew he might get dusted if he killed to protect Light, and that would upset Light, so he wouldn’t do that. That didn’t prevent Ryuk from fucking Watari up in _other_ ways, or just being a general nuisance as long as he didn’t physically kill the man. Still, L said they needed him so he’d rein in the impulse.

 

As L turned and made his way back to the bedroom, the tears he had been holding back for the last few hours finally spilled over, and he shut his computer as he curled around Light.

 

Ryuk followed L into the bedroom, wings fluttering nervously as he gazed down at the sleeping human. He sighed, “Don’t worry...I won’t do nothin’.” He picked out a feather from his wing and put it on the nightstand next to Light’s head. “Call if ya need me.” He sank down through the floor, feeling too mixed-up and confused to even ask for apples.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wrt Ryuk’s name-calling of Watari, I guess a wampus is some kind of Shinigami Realm beast, haha.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for checking out our fic! ZJ is writing Light and Ryuk's POV (and minor characters Sachiko and Sayu, so far) and Ghost is writing L's (and Watari and the task force members, so far). We have a lot of chaps pre-written for this so hope to update regularly. We'd love to hear what you think in the comments <3
> 
> Check us out on Tumblr!
> 
> ZJ: [Kiranatrix](http://kiranatrix.tumblr.com/)  
> Ghost: [GhostOfTasslehoff](http://ghostoftasslehoff.tumblr.com/)


End file.
